The Unicorn
by evilkatz
Summary: AU Fantasy, fluff. Trowa meets a unicorn one day and his life will never be the same. 4x3, 2 3.
1. Default Chapter

Parings: 4x3, 23

Warnings: Nothing for this part

Rating: PG-13 for now. Will eventually go up to NC-17 will get an R rated version)

Summary: AU fantasy, fluff. Trowa meets a unicorn one day and his life will never be the same.

A/N: This story is very loosely based/inspired by the short story "Singing Innocence & Experience" by Sonya Taaffe. Also, my childhood love of the novel and animated movie "The Last Unicorn" played a part I'm sure. For those of you out there that are following my other story "Hold Your Light" fear not. I have not abandoned the story. I'm just taking a small break. Feedback is always appreciated, but never demanded.

Disclaimer: Gundam Wing and all characters involved sadly do not belong to me.

* * *

The Unicorn- Chapter One

Trowa Barton liked to think of himself as a reasonable young man. He stopped believing in Santa Claus when he was six, never believed in the Tooth Fairy, and was absolutely positive that unicorns did not exist. Unicorns were something that only girls believed in. Unicorns were supposed to appear before virgins- girl virgins. Trowa was most definitely not a girl, but at the ripe old age of twenty he was still a virgin, and a unicorn found him anyway.

It was on the last night of his classes, right before the summer intersession. Trowa had stayed late to say goodbye to a few friends he knew he would not see over the summer and had missed the bus he usually took to get home. Free from the added weight of his book bag, Trowa decided to walk the twenty or so city blocks back to his apartment. It was a warm summer evening, and at nine-thirty the city was just starting to come alive.

He was about halfway to his destination when he remembered that if he cut through the park that was two blocks up and one block over, he could save himself some time. So, he crossed the street at the crosswalk and headed towards the park. He distinctly remembered that there was a full moon hanging high in the sky that night, casting a silver glow on everything. That was the only reason he could come up with later as to why he noticed what he did out of the corner of his eye.

Walking at an easy pace along the paved walkway with his thumbs hooked in the pocket of his jeans, Trowa thought he saw a flash of light, like a reflection off of a shiny object. He turned to the direction of the flash to find himself gazing directly at a large, white, _something_ lying at the base of one of the trees. He moved in for a closer look. When he was about twenty feet away the shape resolved itself into that of a horse resting on the ground.

_A horse?_ Trowa thought. _Why is a horse sleeping under a tree, in a park, with no one around?_ Trowa knew that there were stables somewhere in the area to house the horses that pulled the carriages the tourists loved to ride in. But that didn't explain why this one was left unattended, and besides didn't horses sleep standing up? Curiosity got the better of him and he walked up to the animal. Suddenly the world became silent. The noise from the city vanished as the horse lifted its head and looked directly at Trowa. He froze where he stood, unsure what he should do as he locked eyes with the beast. He was scared that he might startle the horse and it might trample him, or worse, take off and run into the street and get hit by a car. The horse cocked its head slightly. Moonlight glinted off the single spiraling, golden horn protruding from the center of the horse's narrow head.

Trowa let out a startled yelp and began to back up, trying to get away, but a rock seemed to have other plans and caused him to trip and fall hard onto his rear.

_A horn? That's not a horse...it's...it's. _

Trowa's mind refused to believe what his eyes were seeing.

_No way! There was no such thing as unicorns._

Trowa sat with his mouth hanging open in disbelief. It was not fear that kept him rooted where he was, but a certain child-like curiosity that swept over him. The unicorn stood up, confirming that this was no ordinary horse. Its muscular, barrel shaped body was supported by four legs that seemed much too slender and dainty to support such weight. Right above each hoof there were tufts of white hair that looked as silken as the mane that ran along the slope of the beast's neck. When its tail whipped around to beat lightly at its flank, Trowa could see that it was nothing like a horse's tail. It was long and slender, like a rope, but was without hair save for a clump of it directly at the tip. It reminded Trowa of a lion's tail. As the unicorn began to walk towards him its hoofs made no sound.

As the unicorn neared the spot where he sat, Trowa clambered up to his feet and dusted himself off nervously. The light from the moon reflected off the unicorn's hide in such a way that made the creature seem to glow white-hot, like a bare light bulb. Its radiance was blinding, but Trowa could not tear his eyes away from it. When the unicorn finally stood directly in front of the young man, Trowa instinctively reached out his hand. The unicorn sniffed it briefly before it nudging it with its snout. Trowa stepped closer and took the unicorn's head between both hands and began to gently run his fingers up and down the center of its forehead. Trowa had occasion to pet a horse a few times in his life, so he knew what normal horse hide felt like. The unicorn felt nothing like that. Its hair was not short or rough, but softer than the cashmere sweaters his mother used to wear.

"Incredible," Trowa whispered. The unicorn whinnied softly as if it were agreeing with him.

_I must be dreaming. I must have fallen and hit my head. There is no way that there is a unicorn standing here right in front of me._

And then suddenly the unicorn was no longer there. Standing in its place, however, was a boy. No, a young man. If Trowa had not seen it with his own eyes he would have thought himself psychotic, but the body of the unicorn had dissolved to become what now stood before him- a young man not far from his own age. The young man's skin was as pale as ivory and appeared to be as smooth as porcelain. His eyes, which were large and rounded, held an unearthly serenity that calmed the fierce beating of Trowa's heart. Even in the low light, Trowa could tell that they were colored the same vibrant blue as the ocean pictured on postcards from the Caribbean. The unicorn-turned-human's hair was blonde, but so light in color that it almost appeared white under the moon, and its length reached the back of his knees. A cherub's face with high cheekbones and a heart-shaped mouth was framed by long, wispy bangs. He wore a simple robe the reached down to his ankles. It shimmered like light dancing across a moonlit pond.

"Hello, Trowa," the unicorn spoke softly. Its voice was distinctly masculine, but contained a timbre that was genderless. It jarred Trowa from his observations and his eyes widened in shock.

"You know my name?" Trowa asked calmly. The young man smiled at the question.

"Yes," he answered simply.

"How?" The unicorn's smile brightened even further and he reached out a delicate hand to place it on Trowa's chest.

"Your heart told me. I heard you calling." The unicorn's touch was electric. Trowa felt it flow through him with a gentle warmth. Without thinking, Trowa closed his fingers around the slender wrist resting lightly on his chest.

"I think you should come with me," Trowa said with the utmost sincerity.

The unicorn looked down at where his wrist was ensnared in a light, but firm grip and then back up to the face of the young man that stood before him. His lips curved back up into a bright grin.

"Yes, Trowa, I think I will." And at that, Trowa began to walk back to the paved trail. He still had his fingers clasped around the unicorn's wrist and the unicorn-turned-human obediently followed.

"Do you have a name?" Trowa asked. "Something I can call you?"

"Yes, Trowa, you may call me Quatre."

"Cat-ta-ra?" The unicorn giggled softly at hearing his name mispronounced.

"That is close enough for me."

The rest of the walk back to Trowa's apartment was conducted in silence, but Trowa's mind was racing a mile a minute.

_What have I just gotten myself into?_

* * *

"C'mon, you know you want to," the unicorn beckoned to him as he lounged naked on Trowa's bed.

Trowa watched the beautiful young man close the book he had been reading and roll over to face him. Trowa scowled. At home, Quatre was always naked, and it embarrassed Trowa to no end. He only wore clothes when they left the apartment. Trowa tried to keep their excursions to the outside world to a minimum, as the unicorn tended to attract a lot of attention, even in his human form. But it was hard to resist Quatre, lying in bed without a stitch to cover his flawless alabaster skin. When in its true form, the unicorn was the picture of grace and power, of ageless beauty that was preserved in both paintings and poetry. In human form, Quatre was a living, breathing example of everything the male body had to offer, multiplied by ten. Because he appeared to be the around the same age as Trowa, it was convenient to tell his neighbors and friends that his new roommate was a distant relative who was visiting. Trowa stood just slightly taller than Quatre. He wondered if Quatre had planned that. But there the similarities ended. Trowa had a mop of auburn-brown hair that perpetually fell into his dark green eyes. He was tall, thin, but in no way gawky. He was always polite and courteous, but painfully shy. The unicorn knew this and exploited it every chance he got.

"Quatre!" Trowa snapped out of frustration. The unicorn pouted at the use of such a harsh tone. Trowa ran a hand over his face. After two weeks he was beginning to get accustomed to the nudity, but the constant attempts to seduce him were starting to wear thin. "What the hell kind of unicorn are you? I thought you only liked young maidens. Nowhere in any of the mythology I've studied did it mention anything about the unicorn bedding the virgin."

Quatre clicked his tongue lightly. "Trowa, I thought I'd explained to you that it's not the gender that matters, it's the _innocence _that attracts my kind." Trowa leaned back against the window sill and crossed his arms over his chest.

"Are you saying I'm innocent?"

"Of course," Quatre answered brightly.

"I may be a virgin, but I'm hardly innocent," Trowa ground out, sounding a little pissy. Quatre stood up from the bed and walked over to stand directly in front the auburn-haired young man.

"You are correct. Virginity and true innocence do not always go hand in hand. Besides-" Quatre reached out his hand and lightly ran his index and middle fingers along Trowa's collarbone. Trowa instinctively flinched and the unicorn smiled a petty, I-told-you-so smile. Quatre brought the same two fingers up to his nose and inhaled deeply. His bright blue eyes fluttered closed and his body quivered in rapture. "I can smell innocence at twenty paces." Trowa rolled his eyes at the display. The unicorn had been trying to convince him for two weeks that he was some kind of blushing virgin.

_I might be a virgin, but I'm no innocent. I know how the world works. My eyes are wide open._

Trowa pushed himself away from the window and brushed by Quatre. "Get dressed, we're going shopping," he ordered. The unicorn squealed with joy and ran to get his robe.

"No, you're not wearing that," Trowa said sternly as soon as he realized what Quatre was wanted. "You have to wear real clothes when we go outside. You know that." Quatre pouted once again.

"Your clothes are strange. I don't feel right in them," the unicorn complained.

"Nonetheless, you have to wear them. You draw too much attention as it is. Here," Trowa said as he tossed over a pair of jeans and a cotton T-shirt. He debated briefly if he should give Quatre a pair of his boxers to wear, but then decided against it. He knew he would have to listen to Quatre complaining about wearing too many pieces of clothing as it was. There was no need to add to it. He turned to walk out of his tiny bedroom and give Quatre space to change when the unicorn called out to him.

"Trowa, I can't get the buttons," the unicorn whined.

Trowa sighed wearily. It was like living with a child sometimes. The unicorn was truly mystified by many of the things he took for granted. He sometimes forgot that Quatre was not human and he tried to not get annoyed with Quatre's constant questions and inquisitiveness, but it was difficult. He was beginning to rethink his preference in button-fly jeans.

"Quatre, I've shown you how to do this a hundred times," Trowa said, trying not to sound angry.

"I know, but you do it so well. Show me again," The unicorn asked sweetly.

Trowa huffed a bit, but went to Quatre and took hold of the open halves of the fly, working the bottom button through the hole. He had to force himself to keep things clinical and detached. He knew if he dwelled on the fact that his hand was a mere inch away from the unicorn's unclothed genitalia...No, he wouldn't let himself think about it. He cursed himself for not giving the unicorn a pair of his boxers when he had the chance. Trowa was grateful that Quatre was of a more slender build than he was; it meant that there was a little more room for him to work with.

"See, it's easy. You just have to tilt the button to the side a little so that it slips through the button-hole," Trowa instructed. As he began to work on the next button the unicorn leaned forward and began to nuzzle his face in the crook of Trowa's neck.

"Cut it out, Quatre, and pay attention," Trowa said as he tried to shrug him off. The unicorn made a small whimper of disappointment and backed off. Trowa relaxed and continued. A few seconds later the unicorn leaned in again, but this time ran his tongue along the side of Trowa's neck.

"Jeez, Quatre!" Trowa yelled as he jumped back and away from him. "What the hell did you do that for?" He brought his hand up to his neck to wipe at the wet trail of saliva.

"I'm sorry, Trowa. You smell so good, it's hard for me to resist sometimes," Quatre said truthfully.

"Well, try harder," Trowa snapped.

"I know, and I'm sorry. Let me give you a hug." The unicorn moved towards him, arms outstretched, pants still unbuttoned. Trowa practically shrieked as he ran out of the room. "Trowa!" the unicorn cried petulantly.

"You did that on purpose," Trowa yelled from the living room.

Quatre rolled his eyes, and thought _Of course I did it on purpose!_ He deftly finished buttoning the jeans and grabbed the T-shirt off the bed. "Trowa, you need to relax," he said as he walked into the other room, pulling the shirt over his head.

"Relax? You licked..." The words died on Trowa's tongue as he watched the unicorn enter the room. His breath caught at the way his jeans hung low on Quatre's hips, low enough to show a hint of pubic hair, but the unicorn was gloriously hairless save for what was on his head. Trowa swallowed the lump in his throat as he watched the pale figure before him pull the shirt down over a tight and well defined stomach.

_Focus! You are not enjoying this. He's doing it on purpose._

"I licked...? You? Yes, I did," Quatre said smugly as he leaned against the doorframe that separated the small living room from the tiny bedroom.

"Quatre, I've told you a hundred times that I am not going to sleep with you, so stop asking," Trowa said with a sigh.

"That's what you say now," the boy said with a certainty that was unnerving.

"Ugh, enough. Let's get going."

Quatre's feet were too small to fit into any of Trowa's shoes, so he gave the boy a pair of old flip-flops he found in the bottom of his closet. Stepping back to take a look at him, Trowa thought he looked inconspicuous enough to prevent people from following them around. Their last trip to the supermarket had been a nightmare. The second they walked in it had seemed that all eyes were on them. After a few minutes, Quatre was besieged by every child that was in the place. They, Quatre explained later, were able to sense what he was and it was overwhelming to his senses. An "innocence overload", he called it. Trowa was forced to rush him out of the store. He hoped that they would be able to avoid such a scene this time.

The two stepped out into the hall and Trowa turned to lock the door to the apartment. As he turned the key in the deadbolt, he heard someone call his name.

"Trowa! Hey, Trowa!"

Trowa looked up to see his neighbor from two doors down stepping off the elevator. Duo was a freelance photographer who was trying to make it in the industry. He was a few years older and a couple of inches shorter than Trowa. Very friendly and quick-witted, he had a boyish face that made people suspect he was younger than he actually was. Duo wore his long hair in a tight braid that wound down his back like a snake. Trowa often wondered if it was as silky as it looked.

"Oh, hello, Duo," Trowa said as the other man walked over to him. Trowa noticed he had his camera bag slung on one shoulder and a duffle bag clutched his hand. "Are you going somewhere?"

Duo smiled brightly. "Actually, I just got back from L.A. I was hired for a sporting goods catalog shoot. Not exactly my field of expertise, but I've got to start somewhere. It got me a free trip to California, so I shouldn't complain too much." Duo's eyes shifted to the person standing just behind Trowa. "Oh, I'm sorry, Tro. I didn't realize you had company."

Trowa shook himself from the slight stupor he always seemed to find himself in whenever he spoke to Duo. "Huh? Oh, sorry. Duo Maxwell, this is my cousin, Quatre."

Duo extended his hand. "Pleased to meet you," he said politely. Quatre stared down at the outstretched hand for a moment before he grasped in his own and shook it a little too enthusiastically.

"It is very nice to meet you, Duo Maxwell," he beamed.

"Cousin, huh? Where are you two heading off to? It's hotter than hell out there."

"We're just going to the store," Trowa answered shyly. The unicorn's eyes darted back and forth between the two. He noticed the shift in Trowa's attitude and took note of the way Duo leaned in Trowa's direction when he spoke with him.

"Then I'll leave you to it. Talk to you later," Duo said as he started to back down the hall in the direction of his apartment. "It was nice to meet you," he said to Quatre who gave a slight dip of his head in response.

Trowa watched Duo disappear into his own apartment before leading Quatre over to the elevator. When the doors opened, the two stepped inside the car.

"That one smelled nothing like innocence," Quatre said. Trowa gave a long-suffering sigh. "And I think you noticed that too," he added.

"Shut up, Quatre," Trowa groaned.

"He did have very nice hair though," Quatre said as the elevators doors slid shut.

TBC.....


	2. 2

The Unicorn- Chapter 2

* * *

Trowa let go of Quatre's wrist as they exited the lobby of the apartment building and stepped out onto the street. Duo was correct; it was hotter than hell outside. Trowa was willing to bet that the temperature was well over ninety degrees Fahrenheit with a hundred percent humidity. As soon as they began to walk, he felt his clothes begin to stick to his body. He looked over to the unicorn. Quatre seemed unaffected by the heat and that irked him a little. The unicorn grinned happily as he kept up with Trowa's long strides, his long hair trailing behind him like a cape.

"Trowa, what's going on over there?" Quatre exclaimed as he latched onto Trowa's elbow and pointed at a large crowd of people. Trowa looked in the direction the unicorn indicated and saw what all the commotion was about. A blue and white truck with a picture of a cartoon ice cream cone with eyes and a toothy grin was parked by the curb. There was a line of people waiting to step up to the small window on the side.

"It's an ice cream truck. People are in line to buy ice cream from him," Trowa explained.

"Oh, ice cream? What is it?" the unicorn asked. Trowa blinked at him for a second.

"Its milk, sugar, and different flavors mixed together and frozen. It's sweet and creamy. You've never had it before?" Quatre's eyes rolled up in thought.

"I don't think so," he answered. "But can we get some? It sounds delicious." When Trowa was silent for too long Quatre began to tug on the sleeve of his shirt and turned up the charm. "Please, please can we get some?" The unicorn knew that if he whined and begged enough, Trowa would eventually give in.

"Oh, all right," Trowa groaned in irritation. He took hold of Quatre's hand and walked to the end of the line. The line was moving rather quickly, much to Trowa's delight. The sooner they got their ice cream, the sooner they could get to the store. The sooner they would get to the store, then the sooner they could be back in air-conditioned bliss. When it was their turn at the window a haggard looking, middle-aged man asked for their order. Trowa thought about it for a moment. He decided against any of the more exotic flavors and kept to the basics.

"One vanilla cone and one chocolate cone, please," he told the man. Quatre stood beside him, rubbing his hands in anticipation. Once the frozen treats were paid for and handed over to Trowa, he motioned for the unicorn to walk with him. He directed them to a short masonry wall that concealed a staircase leading to the basement of the corner restaurant and sat down. The unicorn followed suit.

"Here, Quatre, this is chocolate," Trowa said as he handed one of the cones over. The unicorn gently took it from his hand; his ocean-blue eyes were dazzled. "It should taste a little like the candy I gave you the other day. It's going to melt pretty fast in this heat, so eat quickly." Quatre brought the cone up to his mouth and gave it an experimental lick. He winced slightly at the cool sensation, but when he licked again, the smooth flavor settled over his taste buds.

"Oh, this is wonderful," the unicorn said as he licked the ice cream cone in unbridled glee. "Mmm...so delicious. Ooh....mmm."

Trowa had to look away. Watching Quatre's pink tongue as it slid all around the top of the cone was too much from him to bear. If he let himself, he would start to imagine what that tongue would be like in other places. Thoughts like that were too dangerous to be having, in Trowa's opinion. The fact that Quatre sounded like he was having an orgasm right next to him wasn't helping matters either. He turned away and busied himself with his own cone while he watched the people walk by.

"What does yours taste like, Trowa?" the unicorn asked.

"Vanilla," he answered without turning. Trowa nearly jumped up to his feet when he felt something brush against the side of his face. He turned sharply and Quatre smiled slyly as he licked at Trowa's ice cream cone.

"Quatre! What are you doing?"

"Hmm, vanilla is good. I like yours much better," the unicorn said in a low, husky voice. Trowa felt his cheeks burn.

"Here, take it," he said and thrust his cone at Quatre. The unicorn accepted it with a squeal and handed Trowa his own half-eaten cone. The auburn-haired boy hung his head in defeat and began to eat what was left of the chocolate cone.

_He's trying to kill me. He's found the perfect way to kill someone- embarrassment. Perhaps I should just give him what he wants. Then, maybe he'll leave me alone and I can get on with my life._

"Hi," a small voice stated. Trowa's head snapped up and he looked over to Quatre. A little girl, no more than six years old was standing next to the unicorn. She was wearing a hot pink T-shirt with matching shorts and little white sandals. Her mousy-brown hair was done up in pigtails. Trowa had not seen her approach.

Quatre stopped licking his ice cream and responded cordially, "Hello, Amanda." The little girl's smile lit up her face at the sound of her name. "What can I do for you?"

"Can you come home with me?" little Amanda asked in sugary desperation. Quatre reached out and placed his hand on top of her head.

"I'm sorry little one, but I can't. I already have someone I need to look after," the unicorn explained and glanced in Trowa's direction.

"Oh," Amanda said sadly as her eyes went down to stare at her feet. Quatre moved his hand to lift her chin with a finger.

"Perhaps we will meet again when you're a little older." The little girl's eyes went wide.

"I'd like that a lot," she said enthusiastically. Quatre gave her a serene smile in return. "May I...may I touch your hair?" Amanda said as she reached out tentatively. The unicorn nodded and leaned forward so that one section of white-blonde hair fell over his shoulder. Amanda clasped the lock in her tiny hand and pulled back so that the silken strands fell through her fingers. When she reached the end, she repeated the process of finger-combing Quatre's hair. "Oh, it's so soft," she exclaimed in wonderment. The unicorn nodded in agreement as he idly licked at his ice cream cone.

Trowa watched the scene completely dumbfounded. Just what was it that this little girl saw when she looked at Quatre? Did she see a beautiful young man or did she see through the illusion? Or did she see a white horse with a golden horn sitting on a stone wall eating an ice cream cone? Kids were hard to read sometimes. Trowa decided that the less he thought about it, the better.

"Amanda! Amanda, where are you?"

Trowa looked up at the frantic woman who was working her way through the crowd of people. Little Amanda gave no indication that she heard her name being called. Amanda's mother looked to be in her late twenties, fashionably dressed ensemble in a teal V-neck shirt and white Capri pants. At a glance, she looked classy, but Trowa noticed that the leather pumps and matching designer handbag were fakes. He knew what the real ones looked like. His mother once had a closet full of them. The woman stormed up to Amanda and grabbed the little girl by the elbow and spun her around.

"Amanda, I thought I told you not to wander off from me. You had me so worried," the woman scolded.

"I'm sorry, Momma," Amanda said with her head downcast.

"You're just lucky nothing happened," Amanda's mother continued, and although her voice was angry, there was the distinct sound of relief in it. She raised her head and looked to the two boys sitting on the wall. "I'm sorry she bothered you."

"It was no bother," Trowa answered politely. Amanda's mother took the little girl by the hand and led her away. She hadn't even glanced in Quatre's direction once.

"Goodbye. I hope to see you soon," Amanda said with a wave. Quatre waved back. When he turned to face Trowa, he was met with a scowl.

"What?" the unicorn asked innocently.

"What the hell was that?" Trowa asked, more out of curiosity than anger. Quatre shrugged.

"I don't know. Some children are more perceptive then others," he said as he munched on the sugar cone.

"Does that mean that you're going to search out that little girl and try and get into her bed too?"

Quatre smiled. "Maybe, but not for a few years. She's too young for my tastes, and besides, I'm still bound to you."

"Lucky me," Trowa said sarcastically. "You done?" he asked the unicorn as he stood. Quatre shoved the last bit of cone into his mouth and nodded. "Good, let's get going."

They continued down the street towards the small market that was two blocks up. They passed by a small group of girls around the same age as Trowa walking in the opposite direction. The girls eyed the two boys favorably and Quatre turned to smile at the group while he walked backwards. Trowa grabbed him by the arm and turned him back around.

"No more distractions, Quatre," he scolded.

"I was just being friendly, _Trowa," _the unicorn complained. Trowa ignored the childish tone and kept on walking. "You're not really interested in them, are you?"

"Interested in who? Those girls?" Trowa felt the anger begin to rise. He did not like having a unicorn try to psychoanalyze him.

"Girls in general," Quatre answered plainly. Trowa stopped dead in his tracks and turned around. "It's okay, Trowa I understand. I've known from the beginning, but I was just waiting to see if you would tell me yourself."

"What is it that you think you know?" Trowa growled and stepped closer to the unicorn. Quatre's eyes widened a bit and he backed down.

"I mean no disrespect, Trowa. It's just that I know that you find boys more appealing and th-"

"Keep your voice down!" Trowa yelled; his cheeks had flushed bright red.

_Could things possibly get any worse? I don't need some oversexed unicorn outing me in the middle of a public sidewalk. _

"Trowa, it's nothing to be ashamed of," Quatre admonished.

"I'm not ashamed," Trowa quickly denied. "I'm...fine with it. I...I, let's just get going." Trowa took hold of Quatre's wrist and pulled him along. The unicorn let the topic drop, but decided that this was something he needed to bring up later. Perhaps when they were alone later, Trowa might be a little more open to discussion.

They entered the market cautiously. Trowa was immediately on guard for any signs of trouble, but everyone in the place appeared to be acting normally. Trowa felt himself relax. He picked up one of the shopping baskets and proceeded to the produce section.

The unicorn followed, but he couldn't keep his mind off of the way Trowa had reacted. Quatre really and truly wanted to help the boy, though Trowa probably thought otherwise. Quatre knew Trowa was digging himself deeper into a rut and if he didn't get out, he would be stuck, miserable, for the rest of his life.

"Quatre?" Trowa's voice broke Quatre's train of thought. "Granny Smith, Red Delicious...what kind of apples do you want?"

"Uh, the green ones," the unicorn answered with a smile. Trowa gave him a suspicious eye as he picked out a few apples and placed them in a bag.

"What were you thinking about just now?" Trowa asked as he moved over to the vegetables and began to pick out some carrots. "You had this look on your face. I've seen it before and it usually means you're up to no good."

Quatre gave Trowa a guilty grin and moved until he stood shoulder to shoulder with him. "It was nothing, really. So, Trowa, what kind of boys do you like?" The auburn-haired boy was so shocked he nearly toppled the neat stack of vegetables. "Dark hair or light? Hmm, I bet you like dark-haired boys. Am I right?"

"Quatre," Trowa ground out through gritted teeth. It didn't stop the unicorn.

"What about eye color? I bet you like light-colored eyes as opposed to dark eyes." Trowa turned and began to walk away. Quatre was by his side in an instant. "I bet you like guys that are slightly shorter than you too, right?"

"Quatre! I am not discussing this with you here, okay?" Trowa hissed. A few of the nearby shoppers looked in their direction. Trowa felt the blush spread across his cheeks and he stomped out of the produce section.

"Trowa!" Quatre shouted as he went after the tall boy. "I'm sorry. I won't talk about it again," he said when he caught up. The unicorn was genuinely apologetic. His intentions were to break down Trowa's inhibitions, not to drive the poor boy insane. They continued shopping in silence.

Trowa did his best to ignore the pouting blonde-haired unicorn trailing a few steps behind him. He was thoroughly and rightfully embarrassed by Quatre's actions. He had enough trouble admitting to himself what he felt about his sexuality. He didn't need Quatre's playful questioning to try and get him to open up. As they walked through the health and beauty aids, Trowa stopped in front of a rack of barrettes, head-bands, and other hair accoutrements.

"Hey, Quatre, do you want to get something to hold your hair back? So it doesn't get in your way all the time."

The unicorn blinked at him momentarily before he responded. "It doesn't really bother me that much," he answered smoothly and slid up beside Trowa. When there was no protest, Quatre pressed his body up against Trowa's. "If I put my hair in a braid, would you find me more appealing?" he asked seductively and slowly began to grind his hip into Trowa's crotch.

Trowa's body had gone stock-still when Quatre first moved into his personal space. But when the unicorn began to rub his body against his nether region, he felt a shudder vibrate through him. When Quatre turned on the charm full-power, he was hard to resist. Trowa moaned softly when the unicorn moved again, growing bolder as he leaned in to press his lips to Trowa's neck.

_Oh...it feels good. I can't concentrate when he does stuff like this. I...I shouldn't be enjoying this. We...we're in the middle of the store!_

Trowa snapped out of his euphoria and shoved Quatre away from him. He was slightly out of breath. "Don't you ever, _ever_, do that to me again!" he screamed. Luckily there was no one in the aisle with them to witness this little display.

"Trowa, I'm sor-"

"Sorry?" Trowa interrupted. His voice was low and ominous. "I've had it with your apologies. You just don't get it, do you?" Quatre stared at him in disbelief, his eyes wide. "Just leave me alone. In fact, do me a favor and don't talk to me for the rest of the day." Trowa turned on his heels and walked down the aisle.

Quatre stood there for a moment, letting everything soak in. He pushed too hard, too soon. Trowa was much different than the other girls and boys he had come to over the many centuries of his life. He needed to form a new strategy. With that in mind, he set out to catch up with Trowa.

The rest of the shopping and the walk back to the apartment were conducted in a subdued and uncomfortable silence. Trowa was shocked that the unicorn could keep his mouth shut for that long. When they entered the apartment, Trowa headed for the small kitchen area to put the groceries away. Quatre made a beeline for the bedroom to rid himself of the imposed clothing, Trowa figured. After he finished with the groceries, he sat on the couch to relax and watch a ballgame. He could pretend for just a little while that he was back home watching the game with his father. Trowa was never a big fan of baseball, but his father was a huge Yankees fan. His father even managed to take Trowa to a few games, when his schedule allowed. Sitting with his father in the box seats behind the dugout at Yankee Stadium were some of the happiest memories he had. Sadly, he reminded himself that those days were over. Almost twenty minutes passed before he realized that Quatre hadn't emerged from the bedroom yet. Not that he was concerned or anything. The unicorn was probably in there, sulking, and Trowa was fine leaving him to it.

Three hours later Trowa began to prepare dinner. Quatre made an appearance when he heard the pots and pans being banged around. Trowa's anger had abated somewhat, but he was still not ready to talk with the unicorn-turned-human just yet. Quatre surprised him, however, by wearing his robe. Quatre glided into the room without a sound and perched himself on the armchair facing the kitchen. The strange robe he wore reflected and shimmered even under the artificial light. Trowa glanced at him from the corner of his eye and noted the expression on his face. The unicorn looked like he wanted to say something, but was dutifully holding his tongue.

"Come and eat, Quatre," Trowa beckoned as he set a salad bowl on the table. Quatre rose from his chair and sat down at the small table obediently.

"Do you have the dressi-"Quatre began softly, but stopped as Trowa shoved the bottle of French dressing in his direction. "Thank you," he said meekly. They ate their meal quietly and Quatre noticed that Trowa was still not looking at him. When they were finished, he helped Trowa clean up and wash the dishes.

"Dinner was very good, Trowa. You cook very well," the unicorn said carefully as he wiped a plate with the dishtowel. Trowa looked up from the sink full of dishes and gave a small nod to acknowledge the compliment.

"Would you like to take a walk after we finish?" Trowa didn't bother to turn around this time and just shook his head in the negative. "Oh, okay," Quatre said dimly.

After they were finished, Trowa sat back down on the couch to watch more television. Quatre plopped down in the armchair and pretended to be interested in what was displayed on the glowing box. However, he found he couldn't keep his eyes off the silent boy on the couch and wondered how long he was going to get the silent treatment. They stayed like that until it was time to go to bed.

Trowa lay on his side, facing away from Quatre. He heard the unicorn moving about the room before finally lifting the covers and slipping into the other side of the bed. Trowa was expecting the ever-horny unicorn to snuggle up behind him, but was once again surprised when nothing happened. Quatre had acted quite morose for the remainder of the evening and he did feel a little guilty about ignoring the unicorn's attempts at winning his favor. Quatre wore his robe all night because he knew his nudity bothered him. Quatre complimented the dinner and even helped clean up, and Trowa began to think that he overreacted a little. Quatre didn't understand how things worked in the human world and he thought that Trowa blowing up at him was not the way for the unicorn to learn.

"Trowa?" Quatre's voice was unsure. "Are you still mad at me?" Trowa thought he sounded like a scolded child. He sighed heavily.

"No, Quatre, not anymore."

"Good, because I can make it up to you if you want," the unicorn sounded hopeful.

"No, I have work tomorrow...and I told you I'm not having sex with you." Trowa could almost hear the unicorn's pout.

"Okay, good night," Quatre said. The disappointment was apparent, but at least he was forgiven.

"Good night, Quatre." Trowa yawned once and let his body drift off to sleep.

* * *

The dream was the same as it had been for the past three years. There was a deafening silence right before the god-awful thunder of metal crunching and glass exploding. There were screams, and sirens, and blood...so much blood. The smells of burned rubber and gasoline singed the inside of his nose. There were voices overlapping, too many for him to distinguish one from another. Trowa's own heart was pumping fiercely; he could almost hear the blood racing through his veins. Then he was being led away. He did not want to go. He wanted to stay with them, by their side. They needed him. He couldn't leave them, not now...not...

Trowa jerked awake with a huge gasp. His pulse was racing and his skin felt clammy. He pressed the heels of his palms into his eye sockets. _Why? Why do I still have these dreams? Why do I feel so, so...alone? _He felt the mattress shift beside him.

"Trowa, are you all right?"

"I'm fine," Trowa managed weakly and rolled on to his side to curl into a ball.

"No, you're not. Let me help," Quatre said as he placed his hand on Trowa's shoulder. With a strength that took the tall boy by surprise, the unicorn rolled him onto his back and pulled him into his lap. Trowa was now cradled inside the circle of Quatre's arms.

"Quatre, let me up," Trowa protested.

"Shhh, let me hold you." Quatre began to run his fingers through Trowa's hair and the other boy eventually relaxed. "So much pain you hold inside of you. It's okay to let it go. You need to let it go in order to be free," the unicorn soothed.

Trowa resisted at first, but when Quatre began stoking his hair, he crumbled. His mother used to do that when he was a little boy. It made him remember just how much he missed her. The emotions that he had been holding back for so long came bubbling up to the surface and in spite of his best efforts, the tears came anyway. Once he started there was no stopping. He began to sob piteously into Quatre's chest and the unicorn held him tighter. Quatre's hand never stopped the comforting motion as he began to sing quietly to the frightened little boy he knew was hiding somewhere inside the young man he held in his arms. Even though he didn't understand the language of the song, Trowa felt the meaning deep within his soul. Quatre's voice was beyond ethereal and the melody was hauntingly beautiful. When Trowa finally calmed, what seemed like hours later, Quatre continued to rock him like a baby until he fell into slumber.

He awoke in the morning feeling more refreshed than he had in a very long time. Quatre had one arm draped around his waist and a rather impressive morning erection pressing into the cleft of his ass. It was enough to make Trowa bolt out of the bed. The unicorn didn't even wake up fully. He just curled into the warm spot that Trowa left and fell back to sleep. Trowa shook his head and proceeded to the bathroom to get ready for work. Quatre was still asleep when he left.

The day had been long for Trowa. He spent most of the day distracted by what had happened the night before. The unicorn had comforted him last night and he felt so amazingly good this morning that he wondered if Quatre put some kind of spell on him. The more he thought about it, the more it made him feel twice as guilty for yelling at the unicorn for his playful needling. As he rode the bus home that evening, amongst the exhausted rush hour crowd, he decided to make it up to Quatre. Perhaps he would take him out for some more ice cream, since he enjoyed it so much.

When he entered his apartment later that day, Trowa was greeted by a very enthusiastic and very naked Quatre.

"Hi, Trowa how was your day?"

"It was okay," he responded as he walked into the bedroom to change. Quatre followed him and flopped onto the bed. The unicorn watched Trowa take off his tie and dress shirt. Living with Quatre had forced Trowa to become less body-shy. Quatre had taken to jumping in the shower with him and after the first few times, he didn't mind it so much. As long as the unicorn didn't try and touch him, he was okay with it. It also made it easier to accept the fact that Quatre enjoyed watching him get undressed.

"I ran into Duo when I went out for a walk today," Quatre said. Trowa paused in folding his dress slacks and stared at the unicorn.

"And?"

"I invited him over for dinner tomorrow night," Quatre said happily. The pants and hanger fell to the floor.

"You did _what_?!"

TBC......

* * *

Feedback is always appreciated.


	3. 3

The Unicorn- Chapter 3

* * *

"I invited Duo over for dinner tomorrow," Quatre repeated cheerfully.

"No, no, no, no, this isn't happening," Trowa whispered to himself as he ran his fingers through his hair. The unicorn watched with a curious eye as the tall boy began to pace back and forth in the cramped space between the bed and the closet.

"Trowa, what's wrong? I thought you'd be happy." The unicorn sounded disappointed. Trowa stopped and looked up sharply at the naked figure seated on his bed.

"Happy? How can I be happy when...when he's going to be here..." Trowa's voice trailed off_. In my apartment...Duo...in my apartment_. "O God, what have you gotten me into, Quatre?" Trowa said breathlessly.

"I haven't gotten you into anything," Quatre answered. He was a little miffed by Trowa's initial reaction. He was doing him a favor, after all. "He's coming over for dinner, nothing else. Well, unless you want something else afterwards, but you'll have to discuss that with him." Quatre wiggled his eyebrows. Trowa's cheeks went crimson. The unicorn shifted to the edge of the bed. "You shouldn't be so worried. He seemed very excited about coming over."

"He did?"

Quatre shook his head emphatically. "Oh, yes. He said he had been meaning to ask you over to his place for a while, but never got around to it."

Trowa didn't think it was possible from him to blush any more, but after what Quatre just said he felt like he was burning with a fever. He had been harboring a secret crush on the long-haired boy for what seemed like forever. The day he moved in, Duo had been kind enough to help with a few pieces of furniture since he didn't have anyone to help him. After that day, he found himself hoping he would run into Duo in the hall or the lobby. It made Trowa feel like a stalker, but he found himself inexplicably drawn to the other boy. Not that he would ever be so presumptuous as to go over and ask Duo if he wanted to get together. No, he was far too shy and withdrawn to be confident enough to do something like that. And now, thanks to a meddling unicorn, the man who had become the main player in many a masturbatory fantasy of his would be having dinner with him in his apartment. It was too much to bear.

"What have you done to me?" Trowa moaned as he pressed his fingers against his temples. He looked up to Quatre. "What am I going to make? I have no idea what he likes to eat. What if he's a vegetarian or is allergic to certain foods? I don't want to make him sick. I ...I ..."

The unicorn stood up from the bed as soon as Trowa started babbling. The boy was definitely overreacting. Sure, Quatre had ulterior motives. If he didn't give Trowa a swift kick in the ass, the boy would spend the rest of the day fretting over what to make for Duo. As he moved closer to the auburn-haired boy, the unicorn could think of only one thing that would stop Trowa's little tirade. He reached up with both hands and cupped Trowa's face. Before the taller boy could protest, Quatre closed his mouth over his. Trowa squeaked as the unicorn opened his mouth and sucked on his bottom lip. When Quatre withdrew, he patted the side of Trowa's face lightly.

"You worry too much, Trowa. You need to relax. Everything will be fine," the unicorn said just before he turned and walked back into the living room.

Trowa watched him leave, but found he was unable to move or speak. He brought his fingers up to run along his bottom lip where Quatre's mouth had just been. Trowa had never been kissed like that in his entire life. His knees felt rubbery and he was slightly lightheaded, but in a good way. The electricity from the touch of their lips had shot straight to his groin. _Is that what a real kiss feels like? _He was tempted to walk into the living room and ask Quatre to kiss him again just to be sure he wasn't imagining things. Trowa realized two things at that moment- that he liked kissing _and_ that he would like to find out what it would be like to kiss Duo like that.

* * *

Duo arrived promptly for dinner at seven-thirty. When the knock came, Quatre hopped up from his chair and ran to answer the door. The unicorn was dressed in another pair of Trowa's jeans and a simple red cotton shirt. His feet were bare and with his long hair flowing free, it gave the blonde a trendy, bohemian look. There was a loud click as Quatre turned the deadbolt and opened the door.

"Hello, Duo," the unicorn greeted warmly. "Please come in." Quatre stepped aside to allow the other man to enter.

"Thank you, Quatre," Duo said as he stepped into the apartment. "Wow, something sure smells good."

"I made pasta. I hope that's okay," Trowa said shyly as he shook Duo's hand in greeting. He prayed to whatever higher power there was that Duo didn't notice that his eyes nearly popped out of their sockets the moment he stepped through the door. Duo looked _good_. Of course, Trowa would have thought the braided boy looked good in a garbage bag. Thankfully that was not the wardrobe choice this evening. Duo was wearing a white button-down shirt with black tribal designs that worked their way up from the bottom and around each sleeve over a pair of simple blue jeans. The top three buttons of the shirt were opened to reveal a braided silver chain that hung deliciously below his collarbone. It drew attention to the small, visible patch of chest that appeared smooth and hairless.

"Sounds perfect, I love Italian food." The big grin on Duo's face immediately put Trowa at ease. "I brought a bottle of merlot. I didn't know what we were having, but I'm not one of those snobby types that insist that certain wines go with certain meals. If I like it, I drink it."

Trowa found himself chuckling at Duo's light wit. He seemed so comfortable in every situation. Trowa wished he was more like that and not so introverted. He took the bottle from Duo and walked back into the kitchen. "I'm pretty sure I have a bottle opener," he said casually. He rummaged through his utensil drawer until he came up with the item in need. He turned around and came face to face with the dark-haired man. Trowa flinched slightly as he was unaware that Duo had followed him into the kitchen.

"Here, let me get that." Duo lifted the bottle opener and the wine from Trowa's grip and went to work on the cork by bracing the bottle against the counter. Trowa attempted to hide his surprise by opening the cabinet to retrieve the wine glasses. "You look really good tonight," Duo's soft tenor stated as he gave a sidelong glance in Trowa's direction. The delicate crystal goblets clanged together melodically as they nearly slipped from Trowa's fingers.

"Oh, thanks," Trowa replied softly. He felt the blush burning across his face and kept his head down so that his long bangs fell forward. Duo's comment made him feel slightly off balance, but exhilarated at the same time. The flattering remark meant that the braided boy had taken note of and approved Trowa's outfit, which was good because he spent hours agonizing over what to wear. And Trowa did look good. After tearing apart his closet and trying on what seemed like every shirt he owned, he had settled on a pair of black jeans and a short sleeved charcoal-grey polo shirt. The clothing gave Trowa the appearance of being taller and more elegant. He toyed with the idea of returning the compliment, but couldn't come up with anything. He didn't want to shoot back the obligatory "You too" and have it sound half-hearted. But even if he could have come up with something, it was too late now to say anything. Duo had been in his apartment less than ten minutes and already he felt like he was messing everything up.

There was a squeaky _pop_ as the cork was yanked from the wine bottle. "Shall we?" Duo said as he raised the bottle. Trowa nodded and walked past Duo to set the glasses down on the small table set up just outside the kitchen entrance. The braided boy followed and began to fill each glass.

"I don't think I've ever had wine before," Quatre said as he watched the dark red liquid inside the glasses. "Will I like it?"

"That remains to be seen," Duo said as he handed a glass to the unicorn and then one to Trowa. "Cheers!" Duo lifted his glass in salute and Trowa gently tapped the two goblets together. When they turned to do the same with Quatre, they both stared in surprise at the unicorn chugging down the entire glass in one gulp. When the blonde was finished he sighed loudly in contentment.

"That was good. May I have some more?" he asked as he presented his empty glass to Duo.

"Sure thing, but try to make it last a little longer this time," Duo instructed. "Wine is meant to be savored." The unicorn nodded his head enthusiastically in agreement.

"Maybe you shouldn't have any more, Quatre," Trowa said cautiously. "You said you've never had it before, so you should probably go easy."

"Okay, Trowa," the unicorn groaned like a disappointed child.

Trowa eyed him warily. There was the sudden fear that Quatre might reveal himself for what he truly was in front of Duo. The thought of explaining why he had a unicorn disguised as a human living with made him shudder inwardly. The green-eyed boy watched as Duo refilled Quatre's glass with a much smaller amount than the last time. He noticed that the braided man didn't react to the unicorn the same way most other people did. Trowa could usually see the fascination in the eyes of total strangers whenever they were out in public. It only made him wonder what image Quatre was actually projecting to the world. The unicorn said some children were more perceptive than others and after that one incident in the supermarket he learned to contain his aura better. But there were still the adults that openly gawked at him. Were they _innocent_ enough to be able to see a unicorn? Was virginity the only prerequisite for beholding this mythological beast? Quatre had stated that Duo didn't smell innocent, implying that he must not be a virgin. Did that mean that he would only be able to see Quatre as a (somewhat) normal, boy? Trowa spent many days pondering such questions and the only thing he had managed to come up with so far was a massive headache.

"Please, have a seat," Trowa said as he motioned to the table. "I'll go get dinner." He waited until Duo slid into one of the chairs before turning and walking back into the kitchen. As soon as he was out of sight, Quatre set his glass down on the table and sat down in the chair directly across from Duo.

"Duo, you have the nicest hair," the unicorn commented brightly as he propped his head on his hand. The dark-haired boy turned his attention from the kitchen to the boy across from him.

"_I _have the nicest hair? Please, mine looks like steel wool compared to yours," he said with a slight grin. "How do you manage to keep it so long without it getting damaged and dried out? I've tried all sorts of conditioners and lotions, but they never really work."

"I don't use anything on it other than whatever Trowa uses on his hair. It's like this naturally."

Duo's eyes widened. "Wow, I'm so jealous. But honestly, I don't know what to do with my hair anymore. I had an ex-boyfriend who tried to get me to cut it, but I just couldn't do it. I've had my braid so long that it would be like cutting off my arm." Duo's lips curved into a whimsical smile.

"Boyfriend?" the unicorn questioned, sounding somewhat mystified. "You like boys?"

Duo rubbed his hand against the back of his neck nervously. "Uh, yeah...that's not a problem, is it?"

"Oh, no," Quatre said apologetically and then smiled wickedly. "I like boys. Girls too."

"Bisexual? That's cool. Best of both worlds, huh?" Duo's body visibly relaxed as the unicorn once again nodded excitedly. He picked up his wine glass by the stem and took a sip.

"Trowa likes boys too," the unicorn chimed. A loud crash came from the kitchen and the two jumped in their chairs.

"You okay in there?" Duo called out as he leaned forward in his chair to sneak a look.

"Yes!" Trowa answered quickly with a squeak in his voice. He cleared his throat before speaking again. "I just knocked over some of the empty pots."

Duo turned back to the blonde and noticed he wore a peculiar expression. There was a mischievous twist to his lips and his bright blue eyes were focused on the opening to the kitchen until he noticed that he had an audience. When Quatre met Duo's gaze, he once again smiled broadly. The braided boy would have questioned the other boy's actions, but Trowa picked that time to appear with their dinner. The feeling tickling the back of his head that something was off vanished as soon as his stomach beheld the feast before him.

Trowa made three more trips to the kitchen to fetch all of the dishes, and once finished, he took a seat at the table between Duo and Quatre. Duo immediately began to help him dole out the spaghetti as if he had been having dinner with them for years. Duo held out a plate and once it was full, he passed it to Quatre who accepted it with a hungry look in his eyes. He then repeated the process for himself and Trowa. The green-eyed boy picked up the large ceramic bowl that contained the meatballs and sausage and helped himself and then passed it to Duo.

"Would you like some sausages, Quatre?" Duo offered when he was finished.

"No, thank you," the unicorn refused politely. "I'm a...a...what's that word again, Trowa?"

"Vegetarian, Quatre" Trowa said softly. The unicorn sat up straighter in his chair.

"Yes, I am a vegetarian," he stated proudly. Duo chuckled softly and it sounded like music to Trowa's ears. The conversation faded as the three began to eat.

Duo moaned around a mouthful of food. "This is absolutely delicious, Trowa. Did you make the sauce yourself?" Trowa nodded and looked up to meet Duo's eyes.

"Yes, I made it the same way my mother used to make it. Well, not exactly the same way. She used to make it completely from scratch with fresh tomatoes. I cheated a little and used canned tomato paste and puree, but everything else was fresh."

"Well, it's a thousand times better than any of the jarred stuff," Duo said as he looked across the table to Quatre who nodded in agreement. "The meatballs are out of this world too. Did you make them as well?" Trowa shook his head as he took a drink of wine from his glass.

"Yes, the secret is to let them cook in the sauce," Trowa responded. He felt so nervous around Duo and he hoped that didn't sound like he was babbling. The conversation continued as they finished their meal. Trowa listened as Duo told them about his struggles to break into the photography world. The braided boy was wildly animated when he spoke, waving his arms to punctuate the different aspects of his stories. Trowa found himself completely mesmerized by the other boy's presence.

_God, here I am, drooling over him like some school girl. I can't help it; he's so wonderful and entertaining. He must think I'm so boring. I don't have any funny stories I can share. My head feels fuzzy...must be the wine. I'd better stop drinking it. I should probably stop Quatre from drinking any more as well._

Trowa looked over to the unicorn. He was doubled over, laughing at something Duo had just said. _Yup, definitely need to cut him off. _When they finished eating, Trowa stood and began to clear the empty dishes. Duo once again began to help. They left Quatre sitting at the table by himself. The unicorn was giggling madly at something and Trowa had no clue as to what it was.

"How much wine did he drink?" he asked Duo when they were alone in the kitchen.

"Not sure...two maybe three glasses."

"I don't think he ever drank anything alcoholic before," Trowa said as he took the plates from Duo and stacked them in the sink.

"Really?" Duo seemed shocked by that revelation. "That's unusual. He's your age right?"

"No, he's actually a little older." _Yeah, a few hundred years older._

"But still, I had my first drink when I was thirteen." Duo leaned back against the counter and folded his arms loosely over his chest. "Man, I was a rebellious little punk growing up. Part of the reason I grew my hair out was because it pissed my old man off to no end." Trowa turned to face the long-haired boy.

"You didn't get along with your parents, I take it," he stated softly. Duo flashed a quick smile, but didn't answer. There was an awkward moment of silence as the two stared at each other across the cramped kitchen.

"Trooowa!" Quatre's drunken voice called from the dining area. "Are we going to have dessert now?" It gave Trowa an opportunity to change the subject.

"Did you want to stay for dessert? I have ice cream," he asked shyly. Duo looked down at his watch.

"I'm sorry, I can't. I'm supposed to meet my agent later. We've been working with this one gallery to try and get them to showcase some of my pictures. I'm meeting with the owner tonight."

"Oh, okay," Trowa said and found he needed to look anywhere other than Duo's face. He tried not to sound disappointed, but he didn't think he pulled it off too well. Duo reached out and gently clasped Trowa's upper arm.

"Hey, it's not like I'm trying to ditch you or anything. I had a really good time and I would like to do it again sometime." Trowa's head snapped up and he met Duo's eyes. His pulse was racing.

"I...I would like that too," he stammered. _Why do I always manage to sound like an idiot? He's staring at me with that smile again. And why did I never notice the color of his eyes before? They're so blue...no, indigo. I've never seen eyes like that before. _

Duo moved in closer. "Good," he said low and smooth. The confident smile never left his face as he continued his advance. As soon as he was inside Trowa's personal space, he stood up on his tip-toes and placed a kiss on Trowa's cheek, a scant millimeter from the auburn-haired boy's lips. "I'll talk to you in a day or so and we'll set something up, okay?"

Trowa could only nod his head. His vocal abilities fled the second Duo's lips touched his face. _He kissed me. He...he kissed me. Okay, it wasn't a kiss kiss, but it was something. _Duo turned and began walking out the kitchen. Trowa followed him, albeit a little dazed.

"See you around, Quatre," Duo said with a wave as he passed the table on his way to the door.

"Oh, you're leaving?" the unicorn said with a pout.

"Don't worry. We'll do this again soon. Bye." And with another smile aimed a Trowa, Duo was out the door.

Trowa leaned against the metal door for a moment, reflecting on the night's events. Despite feeling that he acted like a complete dullard, he did have a good time. Judging by Duo's reaction, it seemed like the long-haired boy had fun as well. Trowa's chest tightened with an anxious, giddy feeling that he couldn't recall ever feeling before. A contented grin turned his lips up and remained as the rest of the evening passed in a cloudy, dream-like state.

* * *

"Trowa, my head hurts," Quatre complained as he crawled into the bed.

"That's because you drank too much wine." The unicorn groaned loudly into the pillow.

"I don't think I like wine anymore. I'm never drinking it again."

Trowa chuckled softly and Quatre shot him an angry look. He brushed it off and turned so that he could pull the hung-over unicorn closer and let him rest his head on his shoulders. He was still on a high from dinner earlier and didn't mind cuddling a little with Quatre. He knew the unicorn would appreciate it and he felt a little indebted for the success of his first pseudo-date with Duo.

Trowa had just closed his eyes and began to drift off when he felt Quatre squirm around. He thought nothing of it, other than the unicorn attempting to find a comfortable position until Quatre began sniffing him.

"Quatre, what are you doing?" he asked groggily. The unicorn didn't speak, but kept smelling along his neck and chest. Quatre's long hair tickled his nose and he brought up a hand to brush it from his face.

The unicorn sat up suddenly. "You smell different," he said cautiously.

"Different- good or different- bad?" Trowa asked. The unicorn bent down again and sniffed all around his face before sitting up again.

"He kissed you. His scent is all over you."

Trowa wasn't sure, but he thought he heard a tinge of jealousy in Quatre's voice. "He kissed me on the cheek. Jealous?" The unicorn didn't respond to Trowa's jibe, but instead threw his leg over Trowa's hips and straddled the boy. "Whoa, Quatre, what the hell are you doing?"

Quatre looked down at him. The drunken haze was gone from his eyes. "Our time is coming to an end, Trowa Barton. Soon you will make a choice, and from that moment on your life will never be the same."

TBC........

* * *

Questions? Comments? Feedback is always appreciated....anyone?


	4. 4

The Unicorn- Chapter 4

* * *

Trowa stared up into Quatre's serene face. "What do you mean, _choose_? Just what am I supposed to be choosing?"

"Who you will give your heart to...and your virginity," the unicorn said with a wink. Trowa began to twist around in an attempt to remove Quatre from his lap.

"Wait just a second," Trowa said as he shoved Quatre onto the other side of the bed and sat up. "Just because you invited Duo over and just because we happened to have a good time, doesn't mean I'm suddenly going to jump into bed with him. I barely know him, Quatre." He sighed heavily. "I like him, that much is obvious, but you can't just force us together and say 'happily ever after.' It doesn't work out that way."

The unicorn shook his head in disappointment. "Trowa, I'm not trying to force what your heart has already decided it wants."

Trowa stared at the unicorn. Quatre stared back, the moonlight streaming through the bedroom window reflecting cat-like in his eyes. It was here, bathed in this light that Trowa could see Quatre's true form: not the willowy stallion he met in the park all those nights ago, but a beautiful, ethereal creature that transcended all earthly bounds. He glowed with a luminescence that had to heaven born. Trowa's breath caught in his throat and he sat upright.

"Quatre?" he asked, suddenly unsure. The unicorn was out of the light and back straddling Trowa's hips before the boy could react to the movement. The unicorn was once again the human form Trowa was familiar with.

"You doubt me? Why?" Quatre asked as he pushed Trowa flat onto his back. There was hurt in his voice. It was a tone that Trowa had never heard from the unicorn before. Sure, there were the times when Trowa had to scold him like an errant child, but never had he heard such genuine pain in the unicorn's voice.

Trowa looked up into that beautiful face. "I...I don't doubt you, Quatre, but how am I supposed to just take your word for it? I don't feel-"

"You'll feel it soon enough," Quatre interrupted with absolute certainty.

"Quatre," Trowa sighed. "If you keep pushing, it's going to have the opposite effect. If Duo is truly interested, then we're just going to have to wait and see."

"Oh, Trowa," Quatre cried as he lay down on Trowa's chest and nuzzled his face into the crook of his neck. "I want you to be happy. That night, when I saw you for the first time, you were so lonely. Your heart was crying so loudly that I couldn't escape it. I knew I could help you. I knew I _had_ to help you."

Trowa snorted and turned to face the window. "Yeah, right. You've been trying to get me to have sex with you since the day I brought you home. You won't let up until I give you what you want, right?" Quatre's body went so still that the unicorn didn't appear to be breathing. "This is just a game to you; don't think that I'm not on to you. Is the unicorn that nails the most virgins held in higher esteem?" Quatre shot back up and grabbed Trowa by his shoulders.

"No, Trowa...no," the unicorn vehemently denied. Trowa turned his head to glance up at the blonde's face. In the dimly lit room he could see the tears brimming in the unicorn's eyes. "If you were to give me a gift as precious as that," Quatre began breathlessly, "I..I would cherish it for the rest of my days. That is the truth, Trowa Barton, and I would _never_ deceive you about that."

Trowa had no choice but to believe the sincerity and naked honesty that burned in Quatre's ocean-blue eyes. "O...okay, Quatre," he began hesitantly. Trowa knew that he had offended the unicorn with his rash comments. Deep down in his heart he knew that it was just Quatre's nature and the inexperience that came with pretending to be a human that caused him to be so uncensored. Not realizing that he should be embarrassed or that his actions sometimes caused others to be uneasy made every emotion that the unicorn expressed so much more genuine. There was nothing whatsoever false about anything Quatre did, and in his quick-tempered reaction Trowa forgot this. "Look, I'm sorry. I just don't want to get my hopes up. It'll be easier that way if he decides that he's not interested in me."

"How could he not be interested in you? You're a beautiful person, Trowa. You give so much of yourself to others without even thinking about it." Quatre moved off of Trowa's lap and lay back down beside the green-eyed boy. Finding a comfortable position, he rested his head onto Trowa's shoulder. "I have faith in you," Quatre continued. "You're just unsure of yourself, but I know you'll grow out of that."

"I'm _so_ happy to know you're so sure of this," Trowa said sarcastically. The unicorn fell silent for a moment before he chuckled softly.

"What's so funny?" Trowa asked.

"He couldn't keep his eyes off you the whole night. You'll see. He's as captivated with you as you are with him."

Trowa began to run his fingers through Quatre's hair and the unicorn purred in contentment. He gave only a passing thought to the ease in which he now was able to share such proximity to the unclothed unicorn before letting his eyes close. _I hope so, Quatre...I hope so._

* * *

The next day came and went without a word from Duo. Trowa justified it by reminding himself that the braided boy had said he would contact him in a few _days _when he left after dinner. So, not hearing from him the very next day was no big deal. Duo had his own work that kept him out at strange hours. Perhaps he was just waiting for his schedule to allow a moment where he could contact Trowa to set up "something," as he called it. Yes, that had to be the reason. Duo was busy with work. That still didn't stop Trowa from cooking a little more food than usual that night in the hopes that Duo might stop by. If such an occurrence happened, he wanted to be prepared to invite Duo to stay.

But dinner came and went while Trowa and Quatre ate in a companionable silence and Duo never made an appearance. As he washed the dishes that evening, Trowa scolded himself for acting like a foolish, lovesick child. But he couldn't help it. He found himself conjuring up different scenarios all day long about how Duo would ask him out and how he would respond. Trowa slammed the palm of his hand down on the kitchen counter. _Stupid, stupid, stupid. You're starting to build this up too much. If you keep doing this to yourself it's only going to hurt that much more when he never speaks to you again. Damn it. I'm already expecting it to go bad when it hasn't even begun. _A frown touched his lips as he hung his head. _Quatre's right. I don't want to be alone anymore._

"Trowa?" Quatre called from the living room. "Do you need help cleaning up?"

"No, I'm okay," he answered dejectedly and finished washing the last of the dinner dishes.

* * *

Two more days passed with no sign of Duo. And as much as Trowa tried to not let it faze him, he was beginning to doubt that he would ever hear from him. This was a familiar pattern that Trowa had experienced before. In his first semester of college he decided that he was going to try and open up more. He was in a different atmosphere with new people that had no prior knowledge of him. It was the perfect opportunity for Trowa to make a fresh start. He initiated conversations with some of the other students in his classes and found himself being accepted in ways he had never imagined. There were even a few boys who seemed interested in him on a romantic level, but that was where things always seemed to stall. They would tell him that he seemed like a nice person and that they would like to hang out some time. Phone numbers would be exchanged and dates would be planned, but rarely did they come to fruition. The ones that cancelled on him at the last minute were only slightly better mannered than the ones that outright disappeared on him.

Those few bad experiences only served to make Trowa withdraw further. He still maintained his friendships with a few choice people, but even they were now being kept at a distance. His shyness around people was beginning to cost Trowa his interpersonal relationships, not to mention that it was ending any chance of sexual relationships before they even began. Trowa knew this. He knew that his irrational fears and discomfort were constantly being misinterpreted as unwillingness or lack of interest. And he tried, in his own little way, to be more assertive and confident. But it never seemed to work out, and after one too many failed attempts, he gave up. At twenty years of age, Trowa Barton was resigned to the fact that he just wasn't good with dealing with people who wanted more than just a casual acquaintance. That was why when a certain young man with a long chestnut braid sauntered into his existence with a self-assured attitude and a smile that would melt the coldest of hearts, he attempted to be content with the occasional chat in the hall. At least, that was what he tried to tell himself. The fact that he found himself hoping that he would run into Duo told him that things weren't going according to the plan.

Trowa crawled into bed that night with a heavy heart. He had spent the better part of the day distracted from his work and worried, actually worried, about why he had not heard from Duo yet. He conceded that it was still childish to be feeling this way, but as more time passed, the more he began to think that Duo was avoiding him.

"Trowa, cut it out. All your thinking is making _my_ head hurt," Quatre chastised playfully.

"Sorry," Trowa answered dejectedly.

"Stop worrying. He's going to get in touch with you."

"I'm not worried," he denied, though he knew it was a lie. "If he calls, he calls. If he doesn't...that's fine. I'll get over it."

Quatre moved over to spoon up behind Trowa and pulled the taller boy back into the warmth of his body. "Stop lying," he whispered into Trowa's ear. "You and I both know that you will most certainly _not_ be fine if he does not call. I know you think you've been hiding the uncertainty you've been feeling from me, but I see right through you. I know you want this more than you're willing to admit. So, it's alright to admit that you're nervous and a little overanxious."

"I'm scared, Quatre," Trowa admitted quietly. "I've never let anyone get this close to me before, well, besides you, but I didn't have too much choice there." The unicorn laughed softly. "What if Duo finds out we have nothing in common and doesn't want to have anything to do with me anymore? What if he ends up not being who I expected him to be? What if-"

"Shhh, Trowa," Quatre interrupted softly. "You cannot fret over the possibilities. You can only worry about the here and now. If you waste your time concerned with what might happen, you will miss what _is _happening. It's okay to be scared, this is something new, but it is also something exciting. You'll see. Stop worrying so much about being something and just _be_, Trowa."

There was a long stretch of silence in which the two lay entwined and unmoving. Trowa replayed everything the unicorn had just told him over and over in his head, letting it all sink in. Quatre was right, but of course that didn't stop the cynical part of his mind from scoffing at the advice, claiming that it sounded like it came from some bad self-help book.

"I'll try, Quatre," Trowa said, and was surprised to find that it wasn't just an empty sentiment, and that he really meant it.

"Good," was the unicorn's only reply, and he nuzzled his face into the back of Trowa's head and promptly fell asleep.

* * *

Trowa shut the door behind him and walked, shoulders hunched, towards the bedroom, yanking at the knot in his tie.

"Hi, Trowa, how was your day?" Quatre asked from where he was lounging on the couch.

Trowa groaned something unintelligible and kept walking. It had been a bad day. The bus he took that morning broke down, and after a three block dash in the heat and humidity, he made it to the subway platform just as the train was pulling away. Hailing a taxi in the middle of the morning rush hour was almost impossible, so he walked the rest of the way to work. He arrived at his office building almost an hour late, his feet throbbing from the effort. If that wasn't enough to ruin his day, he managed to spill his coffee all over his work, gave himself a nasty paper cut in the webbing between his index and middle fingers, and bashed his knee hard into the metal bracket under his desk.

"That doesn't sound good," the unicorn said as he sat up. "What happened?"

"Bad day...don't want to talk about it." Trowa mumbled as he walked into the bedroom and flopped face first onto the bed. Quatre leapt up from couch and sprinted after the green-eyed boy.

"Oh, Trowa, it couldn't have been _that_ bad," the unicorn said as he climbed onto the bed and smothered Trowa's body with his own. Quatre let his head rest between Trowa's shoulder blades and listened to the sounds of his breathing.

"Trust me, Quatre, it was _that_ bad," Trowa's voice was muffled by the mattress. Quatre sat up so that he was seated on Trowa's backside and began to massage the tense muscles in the boy's back and shoulders. Trowa moaned in appreciation as the unicorn pressed his palms into a particularly tight knot at the base of his neck. Trowa found himself relaxing, the stress being pushed from his body by Quatre's skilled fingers. Just as he began to drift off into bliss, he heard a loud knock at the apartment door. Quatre's hands stopped and Trowa propped himself up on his elbows.

"Was that a knock at the door?" he asked the unicorn. When the banging came again, Trowa disengaged himself from Quatre and made his way out of the bedroom and to the door. He noticed the unicorn following him in all his naked glory and he gestured for him to stay in the bedroom. "Stay there or put something on," he whispered harshly. "I'm not explaining to whomever it is why you have no clothes on." Quatre ducked back into the room and closed the door. It came as a surprise to Trowa when he received no argument.

Unlocking the deadbolt and unhooking the security chain, Trowa pulled the door open slowly to reveal Duo standing on the other side. Panic immediately flared in his belly at the unexpected visit.

"D-Duo, hello. What brings you here?" Trowa asked. The shock of seeing the other man was responsible for the unconscious stutter. The braided young man wore a smile that reached ear to ear.

"I just got the best news and some friends and I are getting together to celebrate. I was wondering if you're interested in coming," Duo stated brightly.

Trowa blinked at him for a few heartbeats. _He just asked you to go somewhere. Relax and don't panic. This is what you've been waiting for._

"Yes, I think I would like that very much," Trowa answered a little unsteadily. His own voice sounded strange to him, but he managed to get the words out. Duo's face beamed with joy.

"Great. Um, yeah, that gallery agreed to show some of my work. This is my first real showing and I'm super excited, and when I told some friends, they wanted to meet up for drinks to celebrate and I told them yes, but I wanted to see if you wanted to go and...and I'm babbling," Duo said as he rocked back on his heels. "Sorry, I tend to do that when I'm nervous or excited about something."

"It's okay," Trowa said. "Do you mind waiting while I change? I just got home from work."

Duo shook himself as he realized what Trowa was wearing. "Oh, yeah...sorry. I didn't realize. My head's in the clouds. I'll come back in fifteen minutes. Is that enough time?" Trowa nodded once. "Okay, cool, I'll see you then. Oh, is Quatre around? He can come too if he wants."

"I'll ask him."

"Great, I'll see you in a bit," Duo said and then turned to walk back to his apartment. As soon as the door was shut, Trowa sprinted towards the bedroom. He burst into the room, startling the unicorn and causing him to stumble backwards onto the bed.

"Did you hear what just happened?" Trowa asked elatedly. Quatre nodded his head.

"Yes, I was listening at the door. See? I told you he was going to get in touch with you."

Caught up in the moment, Trowa threw his arms around Quatre, lifted him off the bed proceeded to sweep him into a bear hug. "I was so nervous. I hope I didn't sound like an idiot," he said as he spun the unicorn around.

Quatre was practically vibrating with glee. "I'm sure you were fine. Oh, this is so exciting. I'm so happy for you," he said as he squeezed Trowa harder. Quatre pushed on the auburn-haired boy's shoulder to signal him to release his hold. "Let's get you ready to go."

Trowa immediately stepped back from the unicorn and pulled his tie off and threw it on the bed. The blonde began to help him with the buttons on his shirt while he pulled his pants off. Too excited to care about hanging them up, Trowa just threw them on the bed with the rest of his clothes. He turned to open a dresser drawer and pulled out a fresh pair of jeans.

Quatre, in the meantime, went through the shirts hanging in the closet. The unicorn decided that a simple, casual outfit would be best in this situation. He pulled a royal blue Old Navy T-shirt off a hanger.

"Here, Trowa, you should wear this shirt," he said as he handed the shirt over. Trowa regarded him a skeptically.

"Why this shirt, Quatre?"

The unicorn didn't answer. He just flashed a smile and winked.

"I suppose I'm just going to have to trust you on this, huh?" Trowa asked as he pulled the shirt over his head. The unicorn nodded knowingly.

Quatre followed Trowa to the bathroom and watched the other boy as he brushed his teeth and combed his hair. When Trowa continued to fuss over his long bangs, the unicorn slid next to him and gently pulled his hands away from his face.

"You look fine," he told Trowa. Quatre still had a firm hold on the other boy's hands as their eyes met. "Are you nervous?"

"I'm scared shitless," Trowa admitted.

"Well, don't be. Remember what I said about trying to _be_ something you're not. Just be yourself and Duo will respond to it." The unicorn smiled warmly.

Trowa took a deep breath and tried to calm the butterflies that were attempting to burst out of his stomach like the creatures in _Aliens_. He walked slowly from the bathroom to the front door.

Quatre trailed behind him, tying the belt of his robe loosely around his narrow waist. When Trowa's hand paused on the doorknob, he embraced the boy from behind. "You'll be fine," the unicorn reassured. He felt Trowa inhale slowly and when he heard the door open, Quatre loosened his hold.

"Are you sure you don't want to come?" Trowa asked as he crossed the threshold. There was a nervous tremor in his voice. The unicorn responded with a gentle nod of his head. When Trowa began to linger in the doorway, Quatre gave him a shove and sent the auburn-haired boy the rest of the way into the hall.

"Go now, your prince awaits you." And with one last, hopeful smile, the unicorn shut the door and left Trowa standing alone in the hall.

The tall boy stared at the closed door to his apartment for a moment. This was the moment he had been waiting for. He was about to spend some quality time with Duo, the one person in the world who could, with an easy smile or a soft laugh, send his brain into sensory overload. There was a feeling of trepidation, there was no doubt about that, but there was also excitement and exhilaration. The realization that he wanted Quatre to accompany them to act as a safety net was not a surprise, but it still made him feel like a child for entertaining such thoughts.

Trowa took one last, cleansing breath to center himself and began to walk down the hall towards Duo's apartment. He had only taken three or four steps when the door to Duo's apartment opened and the dark-haired boy stepped through. Trowa paused and watched the longhaired man pull the door shut and turn his key in the lock. The end of Duo's braid swayed slightly with the motion of his body. He had yet to register Trowa's presence and it gave the tall boy a chance to give the shorter man a once over. Duo was wearing a pair of black jeans that were tight enough in all the right places and accentuated his firm and nicely rounded ass. A loose fitting black t-shirt was tucked into the waistband of the jeans and on his feet he wore a pair of black suede work boots.

_Dressed head to toe in black, huh? It suits him. I don't know why, but it does._

Duo turned from the door and started to walk while he tucked his keys into his pocket. He looked up and stopped dead in his tracks when he saw Trowa. His eyes went wide, but when he recognized the figure before him his lips curved into a half-smile.

"Jeez, Trowa, give a guy a heart attack why don't you?" Duo jested. "Make some noise next time so that I don't think I'm about to get mugged."

"Sorry about that."

"Don't give it another thought. I just didn't want to have to get medieval on your ass," Duo said as he dropped into a mock Kung Fu stance.

"As long as you don't come after me with a blowtorch and a pair of pliers1 I think I'll be fine," Trowa responded. Duo's grin became even wider.

"You know that movie?"

"It's one of my favorites."

"Wow," Duo said as he exhaled. "Good looks _and_ good taste in movies...must be my lucky day." Trowa averted his gaze as a blush blazed its way across his cheeks. "Cat didn't want to come?"

It took Trowa a second to realize who Duo was referring to. "No, uh..." He panicked for a second while trying to come up with a good enough excuse as to why Quatre didn't want to come. "He...uh...said he didn't feel like going out, but he wanted me to congratulate you."

"Oh, okay," Duo said with a shrug of his shoulders. It caused Trowa to take note of the words _Got Blood? _printed in red letters on the front of Duo's shirt. The braided boy followed the line of Trowa's gaze down to his chest. "A vampire friend of mine gave me this shirt. Cute isn't it?"

"Vampire friend?" Trowa questioned.

"Well, not an actual vampire, but...well you know the type: black clothes, pale skin, hates the sun. In fact, you'll get to meet her tonight." Duo looped his arm around Trowa's elbow and began to walk him towards the elevator. The action seemed second nature to Duo, but Trowa's body stiffened reflexively.

Duo sensed the tension in Trowa's body and immediately let go of his arm. "Sorry," he apologized. "I tend to act without thinking sometimes. If you are uncomfortable with anything that I do, please tell me. I know you're the quiet type and I don't want to scare you off or anything."

Trowa blinked at him in astonishment. _He's worried about scaring me off? I think he's got that backwards. _"It's okay, Duo. It's my fault, really. I'm not used to people touching me. You just took me by surprise." _Especially since I happen to have the biggest crush on you. You would think that Quatre's constant attempts to cop a feel would make me less jumpy. I guess I'm just really nervous._

Duo seemed to consider that statement for a moment before shrugging. "No prob, I'll take that into consideration the next time I want to touch you," he said with a cheeky grin and walked to the elevator and pressed the down button.

Trowa felt his face go red-hot once again and cursed himself for having this reaction. It made him feel like a stereotypical "blushing virgin" whenever it happened. _Men are not supposed to blush like little schoolgirls; it's demeaning_. Trowa realized that the voice in his head just now sounded an awful lot like his father and that thought saddened him briefly. But he shook off the melancholy and moved to stand beside Duo. When the elevator doors opened, the two stepped inside the car. The ride down to the lobby was in silence, but the two would occasionally glance in each other's direction and share a warm smile. The knots that had been twisting inside Trowa's gut began to loosen and as he looked over to the boy beside him, the feeling that he was about to make a fool of himself dissipated.

* * *

They met up with Duo's friends at McSorley's pub three blocks south of their apartment building. It was a small, cozy bar and not one of the loud and obnoxious sports bars or snobby micro-breweries that seemed to be popping up all over the city. This establishment catered more to the local crowd and not the tourists. Happy Hour was in full swing when they entered, and Duo and Trowa were greeted by the sounds of classic rock piping from the jukebox and the din of patrons attempting to converse over it.

Duo's friends were waiting at the bar, and Trowa sidled a little closer to the braided boy as they approached. After the hugs and congratulations, Duo introduced the shy green-eyed boy. It came as no surprise to Trowa that Duo would have friends as eclectic and interesting as he was. Ted was a typical technophile with short, spiky blonde hair and soft brown eyes. He had attended film school with Duo before the two of them decided that they were never going to be the next Scorsese and dropped out. Karen was the vampire friend that Duo had mentioned earlier. Her hair was dyed jet-black and she sported a ring in her left eyebrow, a stud in her right nostril, and one on her bottom lip. She was dressed completely in black, and Trowa noticed an intricate tattoo that circled around her right wrist. Despite her shocking appearance, Karen was incredibly sweet-natured, and Trowa found himself speaking with her for a good portion of the night. He didn't fail to notice how she was sizing him up. The group toasted Duo's first big step with shots of Black Haus and followed that with a few rounds of beer. Not once did Trowa feel uncomfortable or out of place. Duo made sure that he didn't leave Trowa hanging for too long with his friends, and when they left the pub later that evening still buzzed from the alcohol, it was as if they had all been hanging out for years.

Duo and Trowa said their goodbyes to Ted and Karen with the promise that they would all get together again soon and headed back to their apartment building. The conversation between the two of them never lagged, and even when there was a pause between topics, it was comfortable and unstrained.

"So, I left home and moved in with a friend of mine," Duo said as they stepped off the elevator. "If my father couldn't accept me for who I was, then I wasn't sticking around for more of his insults and hatred."

"Have you spoken to him since?" Trowa asked as they lingered in the hall. He wasn't sure if he should head to the left towards his apartment or go to the right towards Duo's.

"I talk to my mom every once in a while, but I have to be careful to be sure _he's_ not around." Duo rubbed the back of his neck in what Trowa was beginning to recognize as a nervous gesture. "Say, you mind coming back to my place? I've got something I want to show you." Trowa arched one questioning eyebrow and Duo chuckled softly. "Nothing like that," he quickly admonished.

"What do you have to show me?" Trowa asked. His curiosity was piqued.

"Well...it's something that's going to be part of my exhibit, but I kinda need your permission."

"My permission?" Trowa was definitely intrigued now. He followed Duo down the hall to the door to his apartment. The braided boy pulled his keys from his pocket to unlock the door, but paused just before he slid the key into the lock.

"Uh, please excuse the mess. I don't do a lot of entertaining, so it pretty much resembles the epicenter of an earthquake," Duo said with a sheepish grin. And he was right. When he opened the door and flicked on the light switch, Trowa was treated to quite the spectacle.

The first thing Trowa noticed was the absence of the usual pieces of furniture one would expect to find. There was a small television against the wall to their immediate right with a small sofa directly opposite it. That was it in the way of "normal" furniture. The rest of what should have been the living room was bare with the exception of a mattress stuck in the corner under the window and against the bedroom wall. There were tripods, lights on stands, lights mounted to the walls, various colored screens, and other photographic paraphernalia scattered all over the room. Trowa's first thought at seeing the mattress in the living room was that Duo might be using the bedroom for other purposes, but seeing the way the lighting gear was set up he realized that this was some sort of makeshift studio. The walls were covered in various photographs, some framed, and some stuck up with push-pins. From what Trowa could see, the apartment wasn't filthy or dirty, just cluttered and unorganized, but then again he had not seen the kitchen or the bathroom yet, and those rooms were the true test of a person's hygiene.

"I know, pretty scary, right?" Duo said as he closed the door behind them.

"No, I wouldn't say it was scary, but it's definitely...you. Did you take all these?" Trowa asked, gesturing to the pictures on the walls.

"No, not all of them. The framed ones over there were a gift," Duo indicated with a flick of his wrist. "The ones here...are mine. I'm still trying to figure out which ones will go in the show." Trowa stepped closer to the wall that was covered in with 8-by-10 prints of various subjects. As Trowa's eyes roamed the myriad images, Duo stepped up next to him.

"I want to show my range," he began quietly. "These pics here were an experiment in negative space." Trowa looked carefully at the pictures. They consisted of mostly inanimate objects; statues, buildings, cars. "The ones here," Duo indicated the next grouping of pictures, "were my portrait studies." Those pictures were of different types of people in obviously planned poses. It reminded Trowa of the type of pictures you might get from a department store and he chuckled when he saw a head-shot of Karen mixed in the bunch. The braided boy shrugged and smiled. "She works cheap, can't ask for more than that." Duo pointed to the final cluster of pictures, and Trowa leaned in for a closer look. "These are my candids. I like to go out and try to capture real people in real situations...you know, nothing staged."

Trowa glanced at Duo from the corner of his eye and noticed that he seemed a little anxious, like he was waiting for something to happen. The green-eyed boy paid it no mind and continued to peruse Duo's work. He found himself liking the candid shots the best. Duo really did have the knack when it came to expressing real human emotion. The pictures seemed to come to life. There was a shot of a middle-aged women dressed in a power-suit seated on a park bench. In one hand she held a cell phone to her ear, and in the other; she was idly rocking a baby stroller. There was a picture of a little boy trying to keep his ice cream cone out of reach of a dog that was twice his size. Trowa continued over the pictures until he stopped at one and his eyes nearly left their sockets.

"This is...me," he said and he turned to Duo for an explanation.

TBC........

* * *

1 This little exchange brought to you courtesy of the movie _Pulp Fiction_. If you know the movie, then you'll know the scene.

Okay, I may have mention that this was supposed to the final chapter. Well, I was wrong. I realized something as I was attempting to wrap things up- this story is much bigger than I realized. So, in order to do it justice I have decided to keep going. Where it will end? I'm not entirely sure, but I'm sure it will be an interesting journey. This story will now go into rotation with my other fics. Those of you waiting for the next chapter of "Hold Your Light" will have to wait a little longer. I will be working on the next installment of "Power and Control" and then "Light" so, please hang in there. I want to thank everyone who has been reading. Feedback is always appreciated. See you next chapter!


	5. 5

The Unicorn- Chapter 5

* * *

Trowa stared at Duo expectantly, and the braided boy gave an uncharacteristic nervous laugh as his hand went to the back of his neck. Trowa's reaction to the picture was just as he expected, but he still felt a little guilty and a tad bit stalker-like for taking the picture in the first place.

"Yeah, well, I was coming off the elevator one day…you know, on my way to the park to take some pictures. Did you know that's where I get most of my best shots?" he questioned, straying slightly from the subject. Trowa nodded his head, eyebrows raised, still awaiting an explanation. Duo shook himself and continued. "Anyway, as I said, I was coming off the elevator, and when I rounded the corner to the lobby, there you were standing in front of the mailboxes. You didn't seem to be paying attention to anything; you were so absorbed with what you were reading. You had this look on your face…kind of, I don't know…really happy and…content." Duo shrugged his shoulders when he couldn't think of a better description. "I snapped off a few pictures and you didn't even have a clue that I was there."

Trowa turned his attention back to the photograph, and Duo took a step closer to him. He stared at the image for a few moments as Duo fell quiet. The black and white picture was a medium shot, showing his body from the waist up. In his hands was a small pile of mail that he had just removed from the open postbox, visible in the background. Trowa's head was cocked to the side as he read from an opened letter on the top of the stack. But that wasn't what made the picture so endearing. It was the easy smile that lit up his photographic doppelganger's face. It was such a pure moment of genuine pleasure, so hard to truly capture on film, which made the eight by ten glossy demand attention. If Duo had snapped the picture one second later then he did, the moment would have been lost forever.

"That first day, when you moved in and I helped you with some of your furniture," Duo said softly, breaking the short span of silence. "You were so shy…it was so cute."

Trowa took a quick glance at Duo and then looked away as he felt a familiar burning sensation surge across his cheeks. Duo smiled at the reaction and continued speaking.

"Even though you were always very nice to me, there was this…I don't know…sadness that seemed to be hanging over your head. I kind of figured that was why you were so withdrawn all the time."

"I'm not always sad," Trowa said a little defensively. Duo gave him another half-grin.

"I know, but that day, when I saw you standing there with that smile, I just knew that I was getting a look at the _real _you. I was so glad that I had my camera out of the case or I could have missed such a beautiful moment." Duo paused for a moment before beginning again with an uncharacteristic shyness. "Do you hate me for taking this picture?"

Trowa turned his head to meet Duo's indigo eyes and the serious expression held within them, a little surprised at the question. "No, I don't hate you," he answered softly. Duo let out a relieved sigh.

"That's good. Do I have your permission to use it in my show?"

Trowa gave a slow nod in the affirmative as he leaned in to take a closer look at his picture. He never liked the way he looked in photographs. He always thought his smile seemed weird or that his nose looked too big. But he couldn't deny that what Duo had managed to capture was nothing short of breathtaking. _This is me? Is this what I really look like? _Trowa never thought of himself as anything special as far as looks go. He figured he was painfully average, judging by the way others had reacted, or, should he say, didn't react to him. But, staring at this image, he was able to see the changes that were happening as his body crossed over into adulthood. He had always been a skinny kid, but his face had lost the roundness of adolescence, and given way to a sharper, more chiseled jaw line.

"The camera loves you, did you know that? You're very photogenic."

Caught off guard and stunned into bewilderment, Trowa could do nothing more than blink at Duo for a few heartbeats. "Me?" he replied when he found his voice. Duo smiled sweetly and lightly shook his head.

"Most definitely…and I'm a professional. I know these things." Duo watched the green-eyed boy's gaze go back to the picture. He couldn't help but observe the way Trowa reacted to the compliment, almost as though no one had ever said such things to him before. He also loved how easy it was to make the quiet boy blush and doing so was quickly becoming a favorite pastime. It was quite refreshing to meet someone as- he didn't want to use the word innocent, but found there was no other word to describe the person standing next to him. "Okay, you've got to tell me because I've been staring at this pic for months now trying to figure it out," Duo said, interrupting Trowa from his thoughts. "What were you reading?"

Trowa smiled at Duo's playful curiosity. It hadn't even occurred to him to feel embarrassed at the fact that the long-haired boy had just admitted that he spent a lot of time studying his picture. "It was a birthday card…from my aunt," he said and turned back around so that he was once again face to face with Duo.

"Well, it must have been a really funny card to get a reaction like that."

"Yeah," Trowa said wistfully. "It was. She's been looking after me since my parents…" He trailed off, not really wanting to discuss _that_ particular subject at this time.

Duo caught the hint and backed off. "Oh, hey man, I'm sorry for bringing up something painful."

"It's okay. How were you supposed to know?" _How were you supposed to know my greatest pain? The one I'm so desperately trying to put behind me? _The green-eyed boy turned his attention back to the picture. "It's funny how everything can change in the blink of an eye, and that moments like the one, here, can be so fleeting." Trowa sighed heavily and his gaze went down to the floor. Against the wall, directly under where Duo had the pictures tacked, was an uncovered box of comic books. "Hey, you're an _X-Men_ fan too?"

Duo stood there for a moment, taken aback by the rapid shift in the conversation. "Uh, yeah…been for a while," he said tentatively. He had a feeling that Trowa wanted off that subject in the worst way. "My friends think it's a waste of money, but I can't help it. I fell in love with the characters. You know, the whole 'living in a world that hates you' sort of thing. I guess it appealed to me."

"Me too," Trowa answered gleefully as he knelt down and began to rifle through the box. "Wow, _Wolverine _75. This was the one where he loses his Adamantium skeleton…a personal favorite. The storyline was incredible. Do you mind?" Trowa asked. Hands paused in the act of pulling a stack out of the box. Duo flicked his wrist to indicate that it was alright. "Thanks. I've been collecting since I was a kid. I found a comic someone left on a table at school and it snowballed from there. So, who's your favorite character? And please don't say Wolverine; everybody always says Wolverine."

Duo laughed brightly and knelt down beside Trowa. "No, Gambit was always my favorite. I like smart-ass Cajuns who can charge items with kinetic energy. It also doesn't hurt that he's drop-dead gorgeous either. And you're right, Wolverine is overrated." Duo felt his chest tighten when Trowa glanced back at him with a big grin. It was the same one in the picture, and he almost fell over from the realization that it was for him. It had been a long time since he felt excited to be in the presence of another person.

"Yeah, he's one of my favorites too. I think his red and black eyes are cool. Nightcrawler is my favorite. It used to be Psylocke until they killed her off."

"Wait, Psylocke's dead?"

Trowa nodded his head. He was incredibly enthusiastic over the prospect of having another person he could talk to about his interests. "Yeah, it was about two years ago, I think. I guess you haven't been following it recently." Trowa sat back on his heels to thumb through the small pile he pulled from the box. "It was disappointing because it seemed like they killed her off for no good reason, but you know how these things are…nobody stays dead for very long. I mean, how many times have the killed and resurrected Jean Grey…who, by the way, is dead again."

"No way! I guess it _has_ been a long time," Duo said with a chuckle.

"I have all the most recent issues back at my apartment if you want to stop by and…" Trowa stopped speaking, eyes going wide as he realized what he was about to say. Duo stared at him, waiting for him to finish. "Uh, that is, if you want to come by sometime and read them, you can." _Good cover, idiot. Now he probably thinks you're desperate. _

Duo eyed him for a moment and Trowa suddenly became aware of the temperature in the apartment. His whole body seemed to break out in a sweat all at once as if he had just run in a marathon. Trowa felt his shirt begin to cling to his back and became vaguely horrified at the thought of Duo noticing his sweaty arm pits. He felt like he was living up to every bad date trait he possibly could all in the course of one evening. The attraction he felt towards Duo was nearly too much for him to bear. It was frightening in its intensity and Trowa's inexperience was causing his body to short-circuit from the strain he was putting on it. The braided boy tilted his head to the side and brought his hand up to rub his index finger against his chin thoughtfully.

"If I should happen to stop by one day to catch up on my _X-Men_ reading," he ventured with a casual, but cautious tone. "Will that get me another dinner invitation?"

Trowa nearly fell over in shock. Duo sounded hopeful that he would say yes to the request. "If you would like…I mean you're always welcome to come over for dinner. It doesn't always have to be just for dinner. If you want, it could be for lunch, or maybe a late afternoon snack, or dessert. You can come over anytime you want, I don't mind. I'll make anything you want. If I don't know how to make it, I'll find out because I really like to cook, and I'm always willing to try new recipes so, don't think that you can't ask for something, because you can." Trowa paused when the necessity to breathe stopped him. It was about three seconds later that he realized he had just been babbling like a little schoolgirl again, and instinctively jerked his head so that his long bangs would obscure his embarrassment.

_Can I possibly make myself look any worse? He must really think I'm immature now. My mouth is working on auto-pilot because my brain stops functioning the second he looks at me. How the hell does he manage to act so calm and collected all the time? I'm sitting here, sweating like some kind of farm animal and he's as cool as a cucumber. Gross, my eyelids are starting to stick every time I blink. _

"Are you feeling okay? You look a little flushed," Duo asked.

"Yeah, I'm fine, but is it a little warm in here?"

"Oh!" Duo exclaimed as he jumped up to his feet. "Sorry about that, it's the lights. They give off a lot of heat."

Yes, the lights. That had to be the reason behind Trowa's sudden hot flash and not the fact that a certain long-haired boy was actually enjoying his company. He watched as Duo scurried around the room, switching off some of the powerful photography lamps. Trowa liked watching how his braid would sway behind him like a tail with every movement. Back and forth, back and forth, the tousled end passed over his tailbone, hypnotic and alluring. It filled Trowa's head with all sorts of naughty visions that he had no business contemplating at that moment. When Duo was finished, he sat back down on the floor cross-legged, facing Trowa.

"So, where were we?" he asked with his ever-present cocky grin.

Not quite sure how he should answer, Trowa said, "You were inviting yourself over for dinner?"

"Yeah, I guess I was," Duo said with a laugh.

Trowa was completely out of his element now. He had never gotten to this point with anyone he had been interested in and was at a loss with how to act. Even though this wasn't officially a date, he didn't know if Duo was under the impression that it was. But he was in Duo's lair now, on his turf, and that was making the situation more tense for the green-eyed boy. If they had been in his own apartment, perhaps he wouldn't have been as nervous and overly conscious of his every move. The conversation seemed to be stalling, so he began to occupy himself with the comics in his lap. If they had nothing else to say to each other, at least they could talk about the _X-Men_. Duo seemed content to sit there and watch him as he rummaged through his books.

"You have a lot of the big story arcs. You can probably get some money for these," Trowa said with a sidelong look in Duo's direction. "_Days of Futures Past; God Loves, Man Kills; The Extinction Agenda…_all original issues too._"_

Duo nodded knowingly as Trowa read off the titles. "This is…was…is my emergency stash," he said softly with a quick, almost non-existent grin, but his voice had suddenly taken on a somber tone. Trowa looked up from flipping the books into his chest to see what had caused the mood change. The braided boy stretched his arms over his head and then slumped with his elbows on his thighs. "With photography, the money can be good…when it's coming in. When it's not, let's just say that things can get pretty tight." He paused once again and drew in a deep breath. "There were a few months where I didn't think I would be able to make the rent, so I was going to sell them off. I packed them up to take them down to the comic book store, but as luck would have it, I got a paying gig the very next day."

Trowa leaned forward to place the comics back in the box carefully. "Then I guess it all worked out for you in the end," he said when he sat back on his heels. Duo shrugged his shoulders.

"We'll see, but I keep the box here just in case. You know, it's a fickle industry and things can change like that," Duo snapped his fingers to emphasize his point. "And I don't want to end up eating cat food or working in the neighborhood One Hour Photo," He caught Trowa's surprised look at his candor and reclined his body into a more relaxed posture. "Don't mind me. I'm just trying to keep myself from getting my hopes up too far. That way it won't a huge, crippling disappointment and I can maintain some shred of dignity."

Trowa wanted to shake his head in disbelief. Duo just verbalized everything he had been internalizing for…forever it seemed. This was just another example of how much his agoraphobia really limited his knowledge of how people interacted with one another. Any normal would person would have realized that it was completely reasonable for Duo to feel insecure and apprehensive about his career choice and what the future would bring. _God, am I really this pathetic? Duo speaks about his feelings so easily, and to me of all people. I'm a casual acquaintance at best. I hate the fact that I'm so shy. I wish I could think of something better for us to talk about. I am a huge disappointment and I don't know why he's still talking to me. Can't he see that I'm boring and have the interpersonal skills of a Three-toed sloth? _

"Hey, Tro," a voice whispered. Trowa blinked himself out of his daze to find Duo on his hands and knees with his face inches from his own. He couldn't help the instinctive, backwards flinch. Duo was very much in his personal space and he had been so deep in thought that he hadn't noticed the movement. "I'm not one for beating around the bush, so I'll come right out and say it."

Trowa could feel the long-haired boy's warm breath on his cheek. Sirens and alarms were going off in his head. So close, Duo was so close, closer than anyone ever had been, save Quatre. Trowa could smell the sharp tang of cologne and the somewhat fruity smell of whatever shampoo he used. And his eyes, those unique, indigo eyes, were staring at him- no, _through _him, past any protective barriers he had erected for himself.

"I would very much like to kiss you," Duo said in a low, husky voice.

Trowa swallowed hard. "You would?"

Duo nodded slowly, deliberately, and his mischievous little grin widened. He might as well have been licking his chops. Trowa leaned back, trying to give himself room to form a rational thought. But for every inch he retreated, Duo advanced.

"I…uh, well." It was no good. Trowa's tongue felt like it had been given a shot of Novocain and was rebelling against the words he wanted to form. He wanted the kiss more than he was willing to admit, but he didn't think it would happen so suddenly and that he would be so unprepared for it. He stared at Duo's lips as the other boy moved in. _I bet they're as soft as they look. That's it; no more running away…it's just a kiss. _

With his mind made up, Trowa leaned in to meet Duo halfway and their mouths collided with a muffled clacking of teeth. Trowa grunted at the sharp pain and pulled back slightly. Both boys mimicked each other as they raised a hand to check for injuries. Trowa was relieved when he found no blood, but his bottom lip was beginning to swell.

"Oh…I'm sorry," Trowa quickly blurted out. Duo let his hand fall away from his face and smiled. His own lip was mirroring the bump on Trowa's.

"It's alright. I appreciate your enthusiasm, but there is no need to rush things," he said with a soft chuckle. "Let's try that again, only a little slower this time."

Trowa nodded dumbly as Duo leaned in once again. This time, the long-haired boy's lips met his with no abrupt collision, just a soft pressure. Trowa let his eyes slide closed as Duo shifted a bit to make himself more comfortable and reached up to cup the side of his face. Trowa had no prior knowledge of kissing, save for the one that Quatre surprised him with the other day, but he found the experience easier than he ever imagined, once he let himself go. For a moment Trowa was unsure where to put his hands. He gently clutched Duo's upper arms for balance. Duo moaned into his mouth. An incredibly sexy sound, Trowa decided, and was anxious to hear more noises like that. He followed Duo's lead and opened his mouth and allowed the other boy to suckle on his bottom lip. The lip-lock went on for a few more moments, neither harsh nor overly demanding. The two boys content to just let things happen between them.

Duo backed out of the kiss slowly, running his tongue over his moistened lips. "Not so bad, right?" he asked as he swiped auburn bangs out of green eyes.

"No," Trowa answered hoarsely. The kiss wasn't bad in the least, and the shy boy wanted more. Duo seemed to find that humorous and laughed softly when Trowa moved in for another one.

"I've created a monster," he joked seconds before Trowa's lips closed over his. The moment was completely ruined by the shrill ringing of the phone.

"Of all the times," Duo growled as he turned to give the phone a death-glare. "Sorry, Tro, but I have to get this." The long-haired boy sighed as he clambered up to his feet and stomped over to the wall-mounted phone. Trowa watched as Duo grabbed the receiver angrily and held it up to his ear.

"Hello?" Duo's demeanor did an immediate about-face. "What do you want?" he asked with a scowl.

Trowa did his best to not appear as though he was eavesdropping, but it was difficult sitting two feet away. He watched as Duo began fidgeting nervously, casting quick glances in his direction.

"Look, this isn't a good time for me right now," Duo told the person on the other end of the line. Clearly frustrated, the long-haired boy ran his hand through his bangs. "That's none of your business. What I do with-" Duo sighed heavily and looked over at Trowa's curious expression. "Okay, fine…just hang on a sec." He placed the receiver down on the small table underneath the phone and walked over to Trowa.

"I'm sorry, Tro. I need to take this." The green-eyed boy immediately jumped up to his feet.

"That's okay. I understand," Trowa reassured as Duo escorted him to the door. "Did you still want to come over for dinner tomorrow?"

Duo smiled, but it wasn't his usual lustrous grin. "I'll have to get back to you on that one. I had a really nice time tonight, and I want to get together again soon, but with the show coming up, my schedule is a little weird. I'll let you know when I'm free, okay?"

Trowa nodded and accepted Duo's friendly kiss on the cheek. It paled in comparison to the ones they had shared just moments ago.

"I'm really sorry," Duo said again, avoiding Trowa's eyes. Only this time, he sounded like he was apologizing for much more than an ill-timed phone call. The gloomy expression gave Trowa the distinct impression that his neighbor would rather be doing anything other than talking to whoever it was on the other end of that phone. ""I'll see you soon."

And just like that, Trowa was left alone in the hall, staring at the closed door to Duo's apartment. _That was really strange. I wonder who called. He looked like he didn't want to talk to him or her. Maybe it was his mother. Duo did mention that his relationship with his parents wasn't the greatest since he came out. It sounded too personal to be his agent or someone calling about his show. Bah! I'm sure I'm just reading too much into it. _Trowa shrugged to himself and headed down the hall to his own apartment.

Trowa turned the key in the lock and eased the door open. The inside of the apartment was dark, and for a panicked moment he thought that Quatre had gone out by himself, until he heard singing. He closed the door behind him and set off in the direction of the voice.

He found Quatre seated in the bedroom window looking out over the city. The unicorn was lounging comfortably, dressed that unusual, moon-silver robe of his. It was tied loosely around his narrow waist and one side had slipped off his shoulder to reveal a dusty-rose nipple. There was no denying it, Quatre was stunning. Trowa's breath caught in his throat as the unicorn's voice wove a hypnotic tapestry of sound. Like the call of a Siren, he found himself lured deeper into the rich, sensuous melody. Trowa remembered hearing this voice the night Quatre held him and chased away his nightmares. It had sliced through his despair, had driven straight into his heart, and soothed his fears like a balm to his soul. The unicorn's eyes were closed, his face serene, as his lips formed the words of his song. Seemingly engrossed in his private concert, Quatre had yet to acknowledge Trowa's presence. Not wanting to interrupt the hauntingly beautiful aria, Trowa stood in the doorway and listened.

When the song finally came to an end, Quatre turned to his young master and gave him a coy grin. "Hello, Trowa. How was your date?"

Trowa blinked, still under Quatre's spell. "Huh? Oh, it was good, but it wasn't a date," he replied as he moved into the room.

The unicorn swung his legs around and hopped down from the window seat. He pulled the fallen sleeve back into place and Trowa felt a twinge of disappointment. "Oh, I see. Well, I'm glad that you had a good time, even if it wasn't a date." he said as he walked by Trowa and headed in the direction of the kitchen.

"Quatre?"

The blonde stopped and turned to look over his shoulder at Trowa's beckoning. "Yes?"

"That song you were singing just now, it was so…sad." _No, that's not the word I want. Not sad, not gloomy or depressing. Think! I need an adjective._

"Sad?" Quatre asked, sounding a little annoyed.

"No, not sad," Trowa quickly admonished, "but beautiful…in a melancholy way?"

A smile graced the unicorn's lips at Trowa's description. "Yes, I supposed it was a little_ somber_, but it was not my intention to make you feel down."

"You didn't. I was just curious about the meaning of the words," Trowa asked shyly, as if he were intruding upon something personal.

"Ah," Quatre said in realization. "Tonight was the last night of the full moon, so I thought I would sing a song to bid it farewell until next cycle."

"Oh, okay," Trowa said softly. Quatre smiled again and turned back to continue walking towards the kitchen.

Trowa watched for a second before entering the bedroom to get ready for bed. He pulled his shirt off and deposited it in the hamper and then went into the bathroom to quickly brush his teeth. He brushed vigorously, pondering the unicorn's uncharacteristically subdued mood. Quatre was normally all over Trowa the second he walked in the door, but tonight he hadn't even made an attempt to so much as touch him. He spat the mouthful of toothpaste into the sink and rinsed, drying his face on the hand towel when he was finished.

The bedroom was unoccupied when he re-entered, but Trowa could hear the sound of running water in the kitchen sink. The auburn-haired boy sat on the edge of the bed and pulled off his jeans and socks, leaving him in nothing but boxers. He placed those items in the hamper and absently noted that it was time to do the laundry again. He heard the water shut off in the kitchen only to come on again almost immediately, and then shut off again. Trowa groaned quietly. Quatre was at it again. In the first few days that the unicorn had come to stay with him, Trowa had explained how the faucets in both the kitchen and the bathroom worked. The unicorn was astounded that one could summon hot or cold water at will without the need for a well, and spent hours turning the faucets on and off in rapt fascination. Trowa was not about to try and explain the workings of indoor plumbing to an ever-horny unicorn, so he just let Quatre believe it was due to some kind of magic he had never encountered before.

Not having the energy to scold the unicorn, Quatre didn't understand the meaning of wasteful; Trowa shut the light and crawled into bed. He was just beginning to doze off with thoughts of Duo's soft lips against his when the blonde came sauntering into the room. After hanging his robe on the back of the bathroom door, the unicorn slid into the bed and spooned up behind Trowa.

"What were you doing?" asked a sleepy-voiced Trowa.

"Getting a drink of water," the unicorn replied as he settled himself into a comfortable position.

"It sounded more like you were playing again."

Quatre giggled quietly at the slight reprimand, seemingly back to normal. "Well, maybe I was a little. So, are you going to tell me all about what went on this evening, or do I have to tickle it out of you?" To punctuate his threat, the unicorn ran his index finger, feather-light up Trowa's rib cage. The other boy gasped and jerked away. The unicorn giggled again, louder this time, and repeated the motion.

"Ah! No, don't!" Trowa yelped and nearly fell off the bed. He silently cursed the day that Quatre found out how ticklish he was.

The unicorn threw his arm over Trowa's chest, effectively pinning his arms and rendering him immobile. "So, start talking," he whispered, mouth grazing the boy's earlobe.

Trowa couldn't hold back an involuntary shiver as Quatre nuzzled the back of his neck. "We, uh…went back to his place after the bar. He said he wanted to show me something." The unicorn pressed his lips to the skin right below Trowa's jaw.

"What did he want to show you?"

Trowa was suddenly finding it very hard to breathe. "He had taken a picture of me that he wants to use in his photography show. He…he needed my permission…and- Oh," he gasped as Quatre's hand moved over his chest and the unicorn's thumb brushed over his nipple in a slow circle.

"And then what happened?"

Trowa moaned outright, when the unicorn dragged his mouth down the side of his neck to the juncture at his shoulder and bit down gently. "We, uh, we, uh…talked for a little bit…and…and…" Trowa's mind was a swirling jumble of sensations. Words were becoming harder to form. He was keenly aware of Quatre's erection pressing against the divot right above his ass cheeks. To his own shock, he felt himself responding in kind.

"_And_, what?" The unicorn inquired as his nipped along the boy's upper back.

The hand that had been caressing Trowa's chest began to slowly work its way lower and lower. Trowa was panting, open-mouthed now. "We, _ughn_…we kissed."

"It must have been a very good kiss," Quatre commented. His hand continued to slide down over firm stomach muscles until it met with the waistband of Trowa's boxers. There it lingered, testing, teasing.

"It was…really good," Trowa managed between huffs.

"How good?"

"Really good. I…I didn't know what to do, but Duo…he's good…so good. He showed me what to- O God!" Trowa yelled as Quatre's hand snuck into his boxers and slender fingers encircled his painfully engorged flesh. Panic flared inside him and he began to try and twist away from those skilled fingers. "Quatre? Wh- what are you…"

"Shh, easy, Trowa. Let it happen. Let it happen. Oh, you're so beautiful like this…that's it…that's it," the unicorn cooed, his hand never faltering in the steady up and down rhythm.

Trowa's vision blanked as overwhelming pleasure that shot through his body like a bullet train. His mind reeled at the thought that it was not his hand down there. It was someone else causing this ecstasy. It was so completely different than any time he had masturbated. Just as good, but the thrill of not doing it yourself heightened the sensation tenfold.

It was all over in an embarrassingly short span of time. Since Quatre had come to stay with him, Trowa found he was unable to have any time alone to take care of his personal needs. He supposed that made him a little more edgy. One final brush against the overly sensitive tip of his penis, and Trowa came all over the inside of his boxers with a choked cry, cut off when he buried his face into his pillow.

"What have you done?" Trowa asked as soon as he was coherent enough to do so. The hand inside his shorts withdrew slowly.

"What? You're mad?" The unicorn sounded surprised. Angry green eyes glared at him when Trowa sat up and turned to face him.

"How could you? I can't believe you just…why did you? Argh!" Trowa growled in frustration. He threw back the covers and shoved Quatre away from him as he stormed from the bed and into the bathroom, slamming the door shut behind him.

Once inside, he leaned heavily against the door, staring down in disgust at the wet spot on the front of his boxers. _I can't believe he just did that. I can't believe I let him. What now? What do I do now?_

TBC…..

* * *

So sorry for the long wait everyone. I hit a bit of writer's block with this story and had to put it aside for a little bit. Now, for the reviewer feedback:

Fruits of Eos- Thanks for the review and sorry for the delay. Hopefully it won't take as long for the next update.

Peilless- Sorry for the long wait. Thanks for also checking out "One of Those Days" too. You're right, this is a hard to find pairing, but I think its gaining some popularity. Thanks for the review.

Joyce- You're questions will be answered eventually. As for why Quatre is all over Trowa while trying to hook him up with Duo. Well, that's because Quatre wants Trowa to be happy, but may also want a little piece for himself. Things will become more clear as the story progresses.

Incoherent- Thanks for the review. I'll see what I can do to get the updates happening sooner, but I make no promises. I'm glad you're enjoying things so far.

Jo9Tails- Well, I hope this chapter answered some of the questions you had. Stick around for some more as things start to heat up.

Hellcat805- You think you know what's going to happen, do you? Well, even if you're right I hope that you enjoy the journey. Thanks for the review.

Priscel- Yeah, trying to end it at the last chapter would have been very rushed and I think by taking it slow, the story will be better. I'm glad you like things so far.

Defenestration- Glad you like it. Thanks for the review.

Amanda- Well, the update wasn't soon, but I'm glad you liked the explanations on everything. Thanks for hanging in.

The Chaotic Ones- Yes, we all love feedback. It lets us know how our work is being received and I thank you for yours.

And as always, thanks to my beta Press and thank you to those out there who may not have reviewed, but are reading. See everyone next chapter!


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